Frankfort educators pleased with Noland

Local district educators say they are pleased with the state school board's decision to keep its current interim education commissioner until a new one is found.

Dianne Cobb, superintendent for Frankfort Independent Schools, said she is satisfied the Kentucky Board of Education voted in a special meeting Saturday to allow Kevin Noland to continue to work as interim commissioner. "Mr. Noland knows where the state of Kentucky is at this point," Cobb said. "He's proven himself before as an interim. I feel like it's an excellent idea (to allow him to remain in the position)."

Franklin County Schools Superintendent Harrie Lynne Buecker agreed. "I think Kevin has certainly provided Kentucky educators stability and continuity during this time," Buecker said.

Since the resignation of Barbara Erwin, an Illinois educator who was originally named to the post despite controversy surrounding her resume and management styles, the board has called two special meetings to develop a plan for moving forward. Buecker said Kentucky has been working longer than other states on its education reform. She said someone with firsthand knowledge of the system would understand how to move Kentucky forward in its education goals.

Cobb said she also thinks schools would benefit from the board selecting someone from Kentucky to be commissioner. "It seems somebody from Kentucky could possibly fill that position adequately," she said.

Thousands of dollars have been spent on the search for the new commissioner. The board originally used the search firm Ray and Associates to find candidates for the position, which led to Erwin.

Cobb said there is nothing wrong with using a search firm to fill the state's highest education position, but the board may want to consider a different firm for the next search. She said there may be liability insurance to help the state recover some of the money lost from the unfruitful search and she believes the board will not make the same mistake this time around. "I'm sure the board will not let that happen again," Cobb said.

Cobb said there is no immediate impact on her district stemming from the education commissioner situation but there could be long-term effect. "It's been business as usual,"

Buecker said, regarding the role the commissioner search is playing in her district. She said her staff is willing to assist the new commissioner when a selection is made. "All of us in our district will do whatever we can to help when the new commissioner is named," Buecker said.

The board did not set a timetable for hiring another commissioner and is planning to do an in-house search, KDE spokeswoman Lisa Gross said. -The Associated Press contributed to this story.

This from the State-Journal.