Ruth Webb Named Deputy Commish

(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – Ruth H. Webb, staff counsel for the Kentucky House of Representatives, has been named deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Operations and Support Services by Kentucky Education Commissioner Jon E. Draud.

“Ruth’s role at KDE will include oversight of internal operations and direct contact with school districts in a variety of areas,” said Draud. “I’ve known Ruth for many years, and she is passionate about ensuring that the needs of Kentucky’s schoolchildren are a priority. She has a strong background in legal issues and lengthy experience with public school activities, which will benefit this agency and our public school administrators, teachers, staff and students.”

“I have enjoyed working on education issues during my time with the legislature, and I hope I can contribute to Commissioner Draud’s success in accelerating student achievement,” said Webb.

Webb will oversee KDE’s offices of Education Technology and Internal Administration and Support. She will provide guidance on technology, budgets, KDE facilities and administrative services.

Webb served as staff counsel at the House of Representatives during legislative sessions from 2000 to 2003, working closely with state budget and education legislation. She became a full-time staff member with the House in 2004.

From 2000 to 2003, Webb also served as executive director of the Kentucky Institute for Education Research (KIER), an independent, non-profit agency created by statute to evaluate the implementation of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990.

In her private law practice, she represented school boards and served as a contract prosecutor for the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board in teacher misconduct cases. She has served as a member of scholastic audit teams for the Kentucky Department of Education and was a member of the Prichard
Committee for Academic Excellence, chairing its Lawyers for School Reform group.

Webb earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Alabama and a juris doctorate from the University of Kentucky.

Webb’s salary has been set at $130,957. She began her duties at the Department of Education on September 16.

SOURCE: KDE press release