from The News Service
of Florida
Duval County School Board Chair W.C. Gentry, a Jacksonville trial attorney, has applied to become the next state education commissioner.
Current Education Commissioner Eric Smith said he would resign effective Friday. More than two dozen people have applied. Board members and the the Ray and Associates search firm are expected to pick four to six people to interview on June 20.
Gentry wrote a 14-page letter to the search firm extolling his experience in education. He has represented the Florida Senate in a lawsuit by several South Florida school districts on school funding issues. He was also appointed to an education policy council by former Gov. Jeb Bush and has served on an education committees in Jacksonville.