Charles Barkley was born in Elkins, West Virginia on October 16, 1950. He attended high school in Hagerstown, Maryland and graduated from Towson State University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary mathematics education in 1972.  Charles earned a Master's Degree in educational administration from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) in 1982. He was a mathematics teacher, mathematics department chairperson, and interdisciplinary team leader in his 27 years of classroom experience in Montgomery County Public Schools and spent three years as an instructional specialist in secondary mathematics.  Charles Barkley retired from Montgomery County Public Schools in December, 2002. He is married and has two grown sons. He currently lives in Germantown, Maryland.

Charles Barkley has served his community and profession in many different ways:

Member, Universities at Shady Grove Board of Advisors (2007-current)

Delegate, Democratic Party National Convention, 2000

Former secretary, Legislative District 39 Democratic Caucus

Former chair, Precinct 1-04, Legislative District 39. 

Maryland State Teachers Association, 1989-90, 1991-95, 1996-2000

Former member, Board of Directors, Montgomery County Education Association (member at large, 1978-88; treasurer, 1988-92; vice-president, 1992-98)

Hadley Farms Community Association, 1992-93

Board of Directors, Montgomery County Teachers Federal Credit Union, 1983-87

Delegate Barkley has also served his constituents in Annapolis:

Member of House of Delegates since January 13, 1999

Member, Appropriations Committee, 2002-2008 (Chair, Public Safety and Administration Subcommittee, 2007-2008; Capital Budget Subcommittee, 2003-2008; Vice-Chair, Public Safety & Administration Subcommittee, 2003-2006; Oversight Committee on Personnel, 2002-current; Health and Human Resources Subcommittee, 2002-2003)

Member, Economic Matters Committee, 2009-Current (member of Public Utilities Subcommittee and the Consumer Protection & Commercial Law Subcommittee)

Chair, Montgomery County Delegation, 2002-2007 (member, County Affairs Committee, 1999-current)

Member, Joint Audit Committee, 2002-current (House Vice-Chair, 2003-05; House Chair, 2005-2007). 

Member, Special Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 1999-2006 

Joint Committee on the Selection of the State Treasurer, 2003, 2007

Member, National Conference of State Legislatures (vice-chair, education committee, 2004-current; member, executive committee of the National Labor Caucus, 2003-current)

Member, Judiciary Committee, 1999-2002

Member, Maryland Educators Caucus, 2005-current

Member, Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2005-current

Joint Committee on the Selection of the State Treasurer, 2003

Assessment Task Group, Visionary Panel for Better Schools, 2001-02

Maryland Mathematics Commission, 1999-2002

Member, Task Force to Study Alternative Educational Programs for Chronically Disruptive Students, 1999-2000