by Lilly Rockwell, The News Service of Florida
The Department of Education is staying tight-lipped about whether any new applicants came forward for the high-profile job of education commissioner as the second deadline to apply for the job came and went late Monday.
Two state Board of Education members reached Tuesday said they had not received a formal briefing on who the new applicants are from the search firm hired to find Florida’s next education commissioner.
“I have not received any briefing today,” said board member A.K. Desai.
Board member John Padget said he also had not received a report from the search firm. “The last verbal report that I received included some very qualified candidates,” he added
The state has struggled to find a new education commissioner to replace Eric Smith, whose last day is Friday. Search firm Ray and Associates was hired two months ago to recruit a new commissioner.
Nineteen applied by the first deadline of May 25, but the Board of Education voted to extend that deadline after the search firm said more highly qualified candidates were still in talks to apply for the job.
The board will meet today to choose an interim commissioner. It was not immediately clear who was being considered for the interim post.
Of the nearly 20 people who applied, only a half-dozen appeared to be serious candidates, and none of them had previous experience as an education commissioner in another state.
Some of the candidates who applied in the first round included: A current Florida education administrator in charge of the state’s career and adult education programs, a politician who held the job 10 years ago, an education policy expert who formerly worked at the U.S. Department of Education, several current and former school district superintendents and one Chicago university administrator who advised former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on education.
But some of the more sought-after candidates did not apply in that first round.
Some of the names floated as possible contenders include Deborah Gist, the Rhode Island Commissioner of Education. Her spokesman has said previously she is committed to staying in Rhode Island.
Another possibility was Tony Bennett, Indiana’s education chief. He also said, through a spokesman, however, that he was flattered but interested in staying in Indiana.
Yet another option is Alberto Carvalho, the superintendent for the Miami-Dade County School District, the largest school district in Florida and one of the largest in the country.
Sen. Stephen Wise (R-Jacksonville) said Tuesday he personally called Carvalho and urged him to apply.
“I would never want to follow him in a speech,” Wise said about Carvalho. “The guy is absolutely polished, he knows what he is doing and he is quick and bright and not afraid to take folks on.” Wise chairs the Senate education committee and has stayed plugged in on the search for a new commissioner.
Wise attributed the lack of qualified candidates to what is arguably one of the top education jobs in the country to Florida’s liberal open records laws.
“Once your name is in, God, the country and even your wife will find out,” said Wise.
Others have suggested Gov. Rick Scott might be deterring potential candidates. Scott’s alleged neglect of Smith led to the resignation of former State Board of Education Chair T. Willard Fair.
In a letter announcing his resignation in March, Fair said it was to protest Smith’s treatment. Fair claimed Scott had not met with Smith once after becoming governor, sending the signal he was not welcome.
Smith had resigned a few days before Fair and has not publicly stated his reasons for doing so.
Lane Wright, a spokesman for Scott, said Fair’s comments sound like “sour grapes.” He said Scott has not been actively involved in finding Smith’s replacement. “It’s not like the governor is reaching out and calling people,” said Wright. “This is being handled by a third- party search firm.”
Wright said Scott may become more involved once the list of candidates is narrowed down.
Desai said the search firm will narrow the list of applicants to about six candidates. Those candidates will be interviewed by board on June 20.
Though 19 applied by the May 25 deadline, one has since dropped out. Edward Hashey, an elementary school teacher from Sarasota, withdrew his application, a Department of Education spokesman confirmed.