Board will pick interim state chief of schools

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

The head of Ohio’s state school board has ended a disagreement over who will select the interim state superintendent to serve until a permanent replacement has been found for retiring Superintendent Richard Ross: The board will make the pick.

Ross will leave the post at the end of next month after close to three years as state superintendent and 40-plus years in public education – including chairman of the Youngstown Academic Distress Commission.

Board President Tom Gunlock outlined a plan for selecting the interim superintendent in an email sent Wednesday to members of the 19-member panel, the Columbus Dispatch reported. He said the full board will vote on that person at its next monthly meeting on Dec. 14-15 in Columbus. Any member can nominate a candidate.

Citing legal advice from the Ohio Department of Education, Gunlock and others indicated at the board’s November meeting that a succession plan put in place by Ross, a former education adviser to Gov. John Kasich, should be followed. It called for associate superintendent Lonny Rivera to lead the department until a permanent replacement was found. Rivera, a former superintendent of Oregon City Schools near Toledo, joined the department in April.

Some board members objected to that approach, arguing that selecting interim superintendents falls within the board’s constitutional duties. The Ohio Constitution gives the board the power to hire the state’s superintendent and they said interims have been included under that umbrella in the past.

Gunlock’s Wednesday email laid out a plan involving the board. Members may submit nominations for the job, including a letter of interest signed by the nominee, and his or her resume. Nominees will get 15 minutes to address the board before next month’s vote.

Board members will vote on their pick and the person with the least votes will be dropped from the list. Votes will continue in that manner until one person remains.

A search firm to help identify potential permanent superintendent candidates is also expected to be selected at the meeting.

Charter-school critics and some state lawmakers had called for Ross’ removal after David Hansen, husband of Kasich’s former chief of staff and current presidential campaign manager, resigned as state school choice director after revelations that he purposely excluded data on failing online schools.