Benjamin F. Jones

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{otherpeople|Benjamin Jones}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Benjamin F. Jones

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| office = South Dakota Secretary of Education

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| term_start = May 7, 2019

| term_end = December 9, 2020

| governor = Kristi Noem

| predecessor =

| successor = Tiffany Sanderson

| office2 = South Dakota State Historian

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| term_start2 = December 9, 2020

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| governor2 = Kristi Noem

| predecessor2 = Jay Vogt

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|12|24}}

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| alma_mater = South Dakota State University
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
University of Kansas

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| branch = United States Air Force

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| rank = Lieutenant colonel

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Benjamin F. Jones (born December 24, 1966){{cite web |title=Jones, Benjamin F., 1966- |url=http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2015031257.html |website=LC Name Authority File |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=9 December 2019}} is an American historian and academic administrator who is State Historian of South Dakota and Director of the South Dakota State Historical Society. He was previously Secretary of Education of South Dakota from January 2019 to December 2020.

Jones was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and graduated from DeSmet High School in South Dakota. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from South Dakota State University, a master's degree from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and a PhD from the University of Kansas. He served 23 years in the United States Air Force, where he attained the rank of lieutenant colonel, and taught at the Air Force Academy.{{cite news |last1=Utecht |first1=Jane |title=DSU's College of Arts & Sciences headed by USAF vet |url=http://www.dailyleaderextra.com/news/local/article_fb7fa61f-967f-5dc2-a876-9476a9ae88e2.html |access-date=December 9, 2019 |work=Madison Daily Leader |date=November 12, 2013}}

Jones was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Dakota State University from 2013 to 2019. In January 2019 he was appointed interim Secretary of Education by Governor Kristi Noem, and in May 2019 he was named permanent secretary.{{cite press release |url=https://dsu.edu/news/articles/dr-ben-jones-named-permanent-secretary-of-education.html |title=DR. BEN JONES NAMED PERMANENT SECRETARY OF EDUCATION |date=May 7, 2019 |publisher=Dakota State University |access-date=December 9, 2019}}{{cite news | title=Ben Jones named permanent Secretary of Education | work=KSFY | date=May 7, 2019 | url=https://www.ksfy.com/content/news/Ben-Jones-as-permanent-Secretary-of-Education-509595301.html | access-date=December 9, 2019}} On December 9, 2020, Jones left to become State Historian, replacing Jay Vogt.{{cite news |last1=Mareus |first1=Anson |title=Governor Noem announces new State Historian and Director of Historical Society |url=https://kelo.com/2020/11/19/governor-noem-announces-new-state-historian-and-director-of-historical-society/ |access-date=December 31, 2020 |work=KELO-AM |date=November 19, 2020}} He was replaced as Secretary of Education by Tiffany Sanderson, formerly a member of Noem's senior staff.{{cite news |last1=Mercer |first1=Bob |title=Jones changes focus as new S.D. state historian |url=https://www.keloland.com/news/capitol-news-bureau/jones-changes-focus-as-new-s-d-state-historian/ |access-date=December 31, 2020 |work=KELOLAND |date=December 11, 2020}}

As secretary, Jones led the development of the department's 2019 strategic plan, which prioritizes reducing the achievement gap for students in poverty and improving academic performance among Native Americans.{{cite news |last1=Mercer |first1=Bob |title=Department releases new S.D. education plan |url=https://www.keloland.com/news/capitol-news-bureau/department-releases-new-s-d-education-plan/ |access-date=December 31, 2020 |work=KELOLAND |date=December 14, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Lowrey |first1=Nick |title=Native American students left behind by S.D. education system |url=https://www.sdnewswatch.org/stories/native-american-education-in-south-dakota-a-history-of-failure-strong-hopes-for-the-future/ |access-date=December 31, 2020 |work=South Dakota News Watch |date=November 13, 2019}} He has also supported legislation to expand civic education in the state.{{cite news |last1=Mercer |first1=Bob |title=Lawmakers Put Brakes On Governor's Pursuit Of Some Changes In SD Classrooms |url=https://www.keloland.com/news/lawmakers-put-brakes-on-governors-pursuit-of-some-changes-in-sd-classrooms/ |access-date=December 9, 2019 |work=KELOLAND |date=March 8, 2019}}

In 2016, Jones published Eisenhower’s Guerrillas: The Jedburghs, the Maquis, and the Liberation of France, which examines Operation Jedburgh and is based on his 1998 Master's thesis.{{cite news | last=Ellis | first=Jonathan | title=Eisenhower's guerrillas, by way of SD | work=Argus Leader | date=February 3, 2016 | url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/blogs/jonathanellis/2016/02/03/eisenhowers-guerrillas-way-sd/79782766/ | access-date=December 9, 2019}}

Jones lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.{{cite news |title=Dakota State University dean appointed South Dakota education secretary |url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/20/dakota-state-university-dean-ben-jones-appointed-education-secretary/2378270002/ |access-date=December 12, 2019 |work=Argus Leader |date=December 20, 2018}}