Huffman Resigns as TN Ed Commissioner

Controversial Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman is leaving his post, the Tennessean is reporting.

The paper cites a press release from Governor Haslam’s office noting that Huffman is leaving his position for a post in the private sector.

There was no immediate word on who might succeed Huffman as Commissioner of Education.

Huffman led a Department of Education that claimed credit for improved achievement on NAEP while downplaying widening achievement gaps and a lack of investment in the BEP formula.

Huffman also took criticism for his failure to communicate about new teacher evaluations and for his lack of communication regarding implementation of the Common Core, which resulted in Haslam holding an education summit and “re-setting” the conversation around standards.

Around this time last year, Directors of Schools from around the state were signing a letter expressing a lack of confidence in Huffman’s leadership.

While Haslam has not yet said who may replace Huffman, two potential candidates are Deputy Commissioner and former Putnam County Director of Schools Kathleen Airhart and former Senate Speaker Pro Tem and now SCORE Executive Director Jamie Woodson.  Another potential candidate is Knox County Director of Schools Jim McIntyre, a supporter of the Haslam education agenda.

More on who may replace Huffman.

Here’s House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh’s statement on Huffman leaving.

For more on education politics and policy, follow @TNEdReport

7 thoughts on “Huffman Resigns as TN Ed Commissioner

  1. Pingback: Tennessee Education Report | Fitzhugh Talks Huffman

  2. Anyone of the 3 rumored candidates would be even worse than Huffman. McIntyre is a kin to Chris Barbic in they both graduated from the Broad Superintendent Acadmeny. Eli Broad believes in causing chaos in school districts. He believes education should be run like a business. Gee I wonder why. Could it be because he and his boys Walton, Gates, Pearson etc all will gain a ton of money from the privatization of education which in the US is about $500 billion. The Broad Academy trains leaders on the privatization of education then works to get them leadership roles in education. So a Barbic/McIntyre marriage will be good for the good ole boys it surely will not be a marriage that will do anything to change education in TN for the better. Jamie Woodson. Are you kidding me? A lawyer, Senator and chief TN cheerleader for Common Core. Gee how about some REAL educators and experts in the field like Dr. Stotsky, Dr. Milgram, Dr. Wurman, Dr. Luksik. Oh no couldn’t have that now could we. People with brains instead of Haslam lap dogs. I have said it before and I will say it again….”sometime the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know” And I believe this will prove true once Haslam makes his final decision. WE MUST HAVE AN ELECTED COMMISSIONER AND AN ELECTED STATE SCHOOL BOARD. What brave legislator will carry the torch for this in 2015?????

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