State school board chair Travis removes self from search for next education commissioner
By KRISTIN TAYLOR
Staff Writer
Kentucky Board of Education chairman Keith Travis removed himself from the search process for the state's next education commissioner, saying a potential conflict of interest is brewing.
So, is he interested in the open job? The short answer from Travis is that he hasn't submitted an application.
A Benton resident, Travis works at Murray-Calloway County Hospital as vice president of human resources.
“I have recused myself from the process so I don't do anything to compromise the search with a conflict,” Travis said Thursday. “After talking with Kevin Nolan, the interim commissioner, we decided this was best. Should we resolve the conflict, I will re-engage myself in the process.”
The biggest goal set forth by the state school board is to have all the state's schools reach proficiency by 2014. Board members said they were open to non-traditional candidates who may have business or military backgrounds, according to The Courier-Journal in Louisville.
The state education board met Wednesday to develop criteria for the person its members hire to replace Gene Wilhoit, who after six years left the post in November to head the Washington, D.C.-based Council of Chief State School Officers.
Kentucky Department of Education spokeswoman Lisa Gross said Wednesday that while the exact criteria isn't nailed down, board members hope to have something more specific to share in the next few days. A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 29 to seek public input.
“One of the main things they want, though, is someone who has a good understanding of educational issues, both in Kentucky and nationwide,” Gross said.
The timeline is developing, but Gross said search firm Ray and Associates Inc. could have a list of candidates ready in April.
Story created Jan 12, 2007 - 11:27:29 EST.
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