A fifth-generation Madisonian, Kaleem Caire has spent over 30 years fighting for educational equity. He made national headlines in 2001 by commissioning a landmark study on graduation rates among Black and Latino students, helping shift education policy toward accountability and reform through initiatives like No Child Left Behind.

In Washington, D.C., Caire built coalitions across political lines to secure over $1.4 billion in funding for education reform. Upon returning to Madison, he expanded the Urban League’s workforce programs and founded One City Schools in 2014. Under his leadership, One City has grown into a network of schools serving 492 students and pioneering initiatives like Anji Play and charter-based academic models.

He is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow, founder of the Wisconsin Independent Charter School Advocates, and continues to influence state and national education policy. Caire has five children and lives in Fitchburg, Wisconsin.