Education commissioner search continues

Kentucky School Advocate
May 2020

By Brenna R. Kelly
Staff writer

The Kentucky Board of Education is continuing its search for a new education commissioner in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. 

Search firm Greenwood/Asher told the KBE on April 9 that it is preparing advertisements for national and local venues soliciting interest in the position. The firm is also creating a position profile that will explain the job to potential candidates and collecting names of people who might be candidates. 

The board hired Greenwood/Asher on March 18 to lead the search. The Florida-based firm also handled the searches that resulted in the hiring of former education commissioners Terry Holliday and Stephen Pruitt.

The KBE hopes to have a new commissioner in place by July 1, however Interim Commissioner Kevin Brown said at the meeting that he will stay on until a new commissioner is hired. Brown is not a candidate for the position.

“There’s a real sense that he is bringing good alignment to the department and how he has begun to steady the ship,” said Suzanne Griffin, Greenwood vice president and managing director.

Amy Bailey, Greenwood’s senior search consultant, told the board that there are already a handful of people who have expressed interest in the job. 

“We would be delighted to follow up with anyone you may recommend,” she said.