Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday is the 2014 Policy Leader of the Year by the National Association of State Boards of Education.
The association announced the award on Tuesday. The annual award recognizes a national or state policymaker in recognition of contributions to education.
Holliday has been Kentucky education commissioner since 2009. During that time, the state became the first to adopt the Common Core State Standards. Kentucky also implemented a new assessment and accountability system, which includes a new educator evaluation program that goes statewide this fall.
In 2013, Holliday also made headlines when referring to some schools in the state's largest school district, Jefferson County, as "academic genocide."
Holliday is scheduled to accept his award at National Association of State Boards of Education conference on Oct. 17, in Denver.
Previous winners of the Policy Leader of the Year Award include former First Lady Barbara Bush and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Holliday Recognized By National School Boards Group
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2 comments:
As an educator in Lexington, Kentucky, I continue to be baffled by Dr. Terry Holliday. At this point in my twenty six year career, I must say I'm skeptical of the Commissioner's statements on public education. I often wonder what he really knows about the subject in general, and I wonder what he reads besides the directives that come from Arne Duncan. The moderator can correct me, but I think Holliday uses far too many clichés, and I really don't hear him saying anything new. I would suspect that due to Holliday's lack of outreach , a good 60% of Kentucky teachers don't know who the man is.
That being said, public employees must choose their words wisely -- especially as educators. This Dr. Holliday did not do when he cheapened the word "genocide" by applying it to what he considered failing urban school system. "Academic genocide" was a very poor word choice, and I don't recall any retraction. That statement will forever be attributed to him.
I respect those educators I consider sincere when they call for school reform, but I lose respect for those who improperly choose their words. This Dr. Holliday did. Genocide must always refer to the mass killing of human beings. Jefferson County Schools simply didn't deserve the Commissioner's poorly chosen words.
For that reason, I'm not certain Dr. Holliday deserves the title "Ed Policy Leader of the Year."
Using SB1 as his justification for all things and RTT fed money to raise a sense of urgency - the commissioner has pushed (not lead) us toward many changes which at this point have very little if any tangible data which can validate his agenda. I am just hoping that this accolade will hasten his departure from KY
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