Shelton's Graceful Exit Answers One Question

KSN&C has been fielding some questions this morning relative to the board's thinking in selecting these particular finalists. They tend go like this:

Why this group?

All four are from out of state and only two have direct Department of Education experience.

Was the board specifically looking for an out of state candidate? Why????

Will the Governor let this go to an out of stater?

First, I should say that I don't have any "inside information" on that.

But that won't stop me from offering Day's Law of Candidate Selection which states that the "things" committees look for most in a new candidate largely match the perceived short-comings of the previous office holder.

Thus, unless the last in-stater was perceived to be an All Star....an out-of-stater.

But we have more than a clue on that point.

The Board apparently told Daviess County Superintendent Tom Shelton that national exposure made the difference in his case - so they clearly valued it.

KSN&C has learned that, in a graceful exit, Shelton wrote to his board and community Thursday saying,

I was notified ... by the search firm that the state Board has opted to proceed with other candidates who are experienced at the national level.

Pretty straight forward, isn't it?

Shelton went on to tell his folks,

I have sincerely appreciated the outpouring of support I have received since announcing my candidacy. As I have said from the beginning, I honestly believed this situation was a win-win for me because even if I were not selected as Commissioner, I am honored and privileged to continue serving as superintendent of the Daviess County Public Schools district.

I am so very proud of the work our district is doing in the area of “focusing our vision” on preparing students to succeed for life. This is a vision that I truly believe is crucial for the success of our students – and ultimately, our state, because the future of Kentucky depends upon how well our schools prepare its citizens and leaders of tomorrow.

DCPS has already earned a reputation for excellence in our state and across the nation, and we are poised to take education to even greater levels. I am excited about the upcoming 2009-10 school year and am looking forward to working with every member of the DCPS community as we continue to prepare our students to succeed for life.

As for the governor letting it "go to an out of stater" - I'm thinking, yes; he will allow the process to work as designed. ...and would be surprised if he didn't.

As for the larger question of what the Board looking for we offer this:

CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE NEXT

KENTUCKY COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION

The Kentucky Board of Education
Is Seeking a Commissioner of Education who…

· Has successfully met the challenges of leading a large organization dedicated to ambitious goals, high standards, and continuous improvement.

· Has demonstrated the ability to articulate a clear vision of quality education with documented evidence of consistent, positive results.

· Understands and appreciates Kentucky’s institutions, culture, and political and educational leadership.

· Has a proven record of implementing programs that address the achievement gap with an emphasis on special needs, gifted and talented, African-American, Hispanic, culturally and linguistically diverse, and low socio-economic students, while focusing on the needs of all students.

· Is committed to producing measurable results in low-performing schools and reaching the short-term goal of proficiency by 2014 in all Kentucky schools.

· Demonstrates a commitment to preparing students for the needs of the 21st century global society.

· Demonstrates an ability to inspire, motivate and build consensus among high-impact decision makers such as legislative, business, community, and school leaders.

· Is well informed about standards-based education and successful education reform efforts in Kentucky and throughout the nation.

· Is strongly committed to a student-first philosophy.

· Inspires trust, possesses self-confidence, and models high standards of integrity.

· Possesses excellent communication skills and can effectively establish dialogue with all stakeholder groups.

· Demonstrates an appreciation for and commitment to producing measurable results relative to issues of diversity.

· Holds an advanced degree.