Mountjoy & Draud: Teaming to reenergize Education Reform?

The Courier-Journal had some nice words to say about the selection of Helen Mountjoy as Education Cabinet Secretary. All well deserved.

There will be rejoicing among school reformers over the appointment of Helen Mountjoy as Education secretary. The former state school board chairman from Owensboro is very highly regarded, and justly so, by those who understand that education is Kentucky's most important opportunity and biggest challenge. She is insightful, compassionate and deeply prepared on the issues she will face.

Indeed, it would be hard to find another Kentuckian who has invested more in school reform than she has. A member and chair of the Daviess County school board for two terms beginning in 1981, Mountjoy served on the Kentucky Board of Education for 14 years, beginning in 1991. She chaired the Kentucky Board of Education from 1998 to 2004. She was there for KERA's rocky start, oversaw it's maturation, and witnessed legislative neglect. She was KERA's complete defender.

When she left the state board the Herald-Leader applauded the vital role she played in "transforming the Kentucky Education Reform Act's lofty principles into actual practice."

It wouldn't surprise me if she thought of KERA as "her baby." With so many personal ties within the Department of Education, is it possible she thinks of KDE as her baby, too?

If so, how will that square with Jon Draud as Kentucky's new commissioner?

Some KSN&C readers have wondered if Mountjoy was chosen to add some measure of control over the Fletcher board's chosen commissioner. But it seems to me that the selection of Jon Draud brings together two strong-willed education leaders who would seem to have many common goals. If their personalities mesh, this could be a strong team dedicated to reenergizing education reform in Kentucky. If not, look out.

But my money's on teamwork.

The only apparent area that could prove interesting is assessment. Mountjoy oversaw the original KIRIS assessment and its improved CATS and has been slow to support changes to the assessment program in the past - but now, after a few years of federal intrusion and state tinkering it's hard to know where she'll stand. The present CATS is pretty far from the performance-based test once envisioned under KERA. When the Bluegrass Institute asked Draud if he would consider scrapping CATS and going to a better assessment program...he said "yes."

Asked by the Enquirer-Messenger recently about the finalists for the commissioner's position Mountjoy said the commissioner's job will be challenging at a critical time in Kentucky's history.

The challenge is not just reaching proficiency in seven years, she said. "A lot of work needs to be done to make sure high schools are preparing students for success in higher education or the workplace... the new commissioner must be a visionary, a policy leader and an active advocate with multiple groups - most notably, the legislature, superintendents, school boards and teachers, "to make sure everybody is moving in the right direction," Mountjoy said.

Mountjoy told the Messenger-Enquirer (Nov 29), that governor-elect Steve Beshear has "articulated a vision, at least the outlines of one, for things that will build on the successes we have had in the past." It will "be exciting to be part of the process to flesh out that outline and make sure ideas he has become reality for students" from preschool age to adults returning to education.

The Education Cabinet encompasses 22 subdepartments, covering everything from Kentucky Educational Television to the Department of Workforce Investment.Working with the various entities of the cabinet will be exciting, Mountjoy said. She has worked with several components of the department in the past. Her work with the Workforce Investment Board will be something different, she said."It's a wide range of things," she said. "It's exciting to think
about the possibilities that can occur when they all work together." ...

...Beshear said Mountjoy's commitment to making Kentucky a better place dates back to her service with him on the Kentucky Tomorrow Commission when he was lieutenant governor."Helen has a wealth of knowledge and experience in our state education system," he said in a press release. " ... Her drive, ambition and institutional knowledge make her a welcome addition to the Beshear/Mongiardo administration."

And, coincidently, KSN&C has it on good authority that one of the state board's lead staffers, Mary Ann Miller, is Steve Beshear's sister.
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The Herald-Leader did a nice overview piece on Jon Draud today with the following audio files from Raviya Ismail's interview:
Draud on his experience in public education
Draud on being called a right-wing extremist
Draud on his credentials
Draud on his first priorities as education commissioner
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This from the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Draud facing down critics

...Draud bristles at the criticism, saying that his years as a school teacher, principal, coach and superintendent of the Ludlow Schools for two decades more than qualifies him for the job.

"I would not have applied for this position if the only thing I had ever done was be superintendent in Ludlow," Draud said last week. "You have to look at the wide range of experience that I've had." ...

... "From what everyone tells me (Beshear's concerns) were not directed at me," Draud said. "I don't know for sure. But I do this know, I can work well with Steve Beshear and I demonstrated that with (former Democratic Gov.) Paul Patton."

Draud, rarely viewed as a hardcore partisan during his years in Frankfort, said the Democratic chairmen of the House budget and education committees and the Republican heads of the same Senate committee supported him for the job. "I've had great support from the General Assembly," he said.

It was well-known that outgoing Gov. Ernie Fletcher supported Draud for the seat. Fletcher lost the governor's race after suffering through a long criminal investigation into his administration's hiring practices. Officials were indicted, including the governor, for handing out jobs based on political connections rather than qualifications.

Fletcher pardoned those charged, and the charges against him were dropped in a deal he made with prosecutors. But critics have said supporting Draud was Fletcher's last political move.
Draud said he isn't really worried about such talk.

"Gov. Fletcher and I got along quite well together," Draud said. "I respected him; he's a good moral person. I'm one of these people that are loyal to people. If you treat me right, I treat you right." ...

Mountjoy tapped by Beshear for Education Cabinet Secretary

Helen Mountjoy, 61, of Utica, will head the Education Cabinet under Beshear. She has served since 2006 as executive vice president of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation. Mountjoy, a Democrat, has also been a member of the Kentucky Chamber's Postsecondary Education Task Force and the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence. Mountjoy was chair of the state board of education from 1998 to 2004. Previously she was a program specialist at the Hager Educational Foundation in Owensboro and director of alumni and public relations at Brescia University in Owensboro.

"Helen has a wealth of knowledge and experience in our state education system," Beshear said. Mountjoy said she looks forward to working with new state Education Commissioner Rep. John Draud, R-Edgewood. His long experience as a legislator will help the board of education when it comes to presenting a legislative agenda, she said.

This, and photo, from the State-Journal.

Ken Winters as Education Cabinet Secretary?

This morning the Herald-Leader reports, "With five weeks to form a government, Gov.-elect Steve Beshear plans a series of announcements starting today on key appointments in his administration." Ryan Alessi's article does not mention the Education Cabinet Secretary but did mention GOP state Sen. Lindy Casebier of Louisville and Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville as being receptive to discussions.

Yesterday, a Frankfort insider told KSN&C that Beshear was talking to Ken Winters about the education post. Senator Winters (R) presently serves in District 1 which includes Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Trigg, & Lyon counties an area Fletcher failed to carry.

From Governor-elect Steve Beshear's perspective, this is a good move. First, the Education Secretary is one of those "best jobs in Frankfort." Long on meetings and speeches; short on actual responsibility.

The source also opined that Winters has had about enough of Senate President David Williams' stranglehold on the Senate and would be open to moving on; thus opening a vulnerable seat in west Kentucky.

The move reinforces Beshear's promise to run a bipartisan administration, and in the process, lays the groundwork for a more cooperative legislature. Republicans presently hold a 21-16 majority in the Senate.

The Courier-Journal reported that Beshear, who defeated Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher by a margin of 18 percentage points in Tuesday's election, said repeatedly during the campaign that he planned to help find and support good Democratic candidates to run for Republican-held seats in the General Assembly.

Asked about that ...Williams said that if Beshear meddles in legislative races, he'll face problems.

"The governor will find it a very complicating factor if he wants to sit down with you and at the same time plot your imminent demise," Williams said...

Of course, Williams will spend every waking moment trying to cling to power no matter what Beshear does.

Education Cabinet secretary visits Elizabethtown High School

ELIZABETHTOWN — ...Education Cabinet Secretary Laura Owens spoke ...before a crowd of teachers, principals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, secretaries and others.She talked about the importance of flexibility and credibility — two traits she said school employees must have to make the district successful.Teachers must be flexible to address students’ diverse learning styles, Owens said.“We have to make sure we tear down the cookie-cutter approach,” she said.

Still, every school employee also must be flexible to meet students’ needs inside and outside the classroom. Students have challenges, Owens said, referring to personal issues of her own former students. One was living in a car, three had cancer and Owens, once an English teacher, had to remember “Beowulf,” for example, was a justifiably low priority.

With the first bell of the year less than 24 hours away, Owens also encouraged building credibility with students. That can be done by responding to situations appropriately. Everyone has to let go of the small stuff, she said.“I’ve watched teachers break down into tears over broken copiers,” Owens said, smiling and sparking a round of laughter in the packed commons area.It doesn’t take long for students to tune out those who consistently over-react, Owens said.
Amy Key, a third grade teacher at Morningside Elementary, agreed.“I think it’s huge to let the little things go,” she said.She said credibility with her students is critical to her job.“You won’t be successful if they don’t trust you and respect you and know that you love them,” Key said of students.

Like many others, Key spent part of Monday making sure her classroom was ready so she could concentrate on getting to know her students and starting instruction. She said it takes about a month to form relationships with students.Superintendent John Millay also spoke at the employee assembly. He touted the district’s performance, but also called for improvement.“We have great kids, a great staff and a great community. There’s no reason we can’t continue to improve,” he said.Elizabethtown students will attend a half-day of classes today.

This from the News Enterprise.