School & District Management

Wyo. State Schools Chief Has Authority Slashed

By Andrew Ujifusa — February 05, 2013 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

In a move that pits Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill against the rest of state government, Gov. Matt Mead has signed legislation that effectively removes Ms. Hill from overseeing the state’s public schools, and transfers her duties to a new director that Mr. Mead appointed Jan. 29.

In response, Ms. Hill showed up at the press conference Mr. Mead had called that same day to discuss the bill he signed—and she and her attorney served him with a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of his decision, which essentially reduces Ms. Hill’s position to a ceremonial one, the Casper Star-Tribune reported. (Ms. Hill and Mr. Mead are Republicans elected in 2010.) Ms. Hill said Jan. 31 she would run for governor in 2014.

Recently, state lawmakers have been sharply critical of how Ms. Hill has managed the development of the state’s new accountability system and other aspects of public education in Wyoming. An independent audit released late last year purported to show numerous problems with how Ms. Hill was implementing the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act, signed into law last year by Mr. Mead. Eventually, Ms. Hill denied the audit’s allegations.

Ms. Hill later had a confrontational meeting with lawmakers on a select committee about the audit’s findings. A committee member, GOP Sen. Hank Coe, accused Ms. Hill of campaigning for his write-in opponent in the November election. Mr. Coe is chairman of the Senate education committee, and authored the bill Mr. Mead signed.

The new director of education in the state, Jim Rose, who has led the Wyoming Community College Commission, will have power over the entire education department, with Ms. Hill relegated to ceremonial positions on state boards and commissions.

Mr. Mead said the state attorney general has told him the legislation does not violate the state constitution.

Ms. Hill fired back by saying the legislative branch of Wyoming government has run amok, and that the public only had limited input before the legislature passed the bill hastily.

A version of this article appeared in the February 06, 2013 edition of Education Week as State Chief in Wyo. Has Powers Slashed

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
The Future of the Science of Reading
Join us for a discussion on the future of the Science of Reading and how to support every student’s path to literacy.
Content provided by HMH
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
From Classrooms to Careers: How Schools and Districts Can Prepare Students for a Changing Workforce
Real careers start in school. Learn how Alton High built student-centered, job-aligned pathways.
Content provided by TNTP
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Helping Students Succeed in Math

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Worried About Withheld Education Funding? Here's How Leaders Can Speak Up
Education leaders must communicate the consequences of withheld K-12 funding to Congress and their own communities.
6 min read
Superintendents Dr. Alex Marrero, Alberto Carvalho, and Joe Gothard
Denver Superintendent Alex Marrero, left, Madison Superintendent Joe Gothard, and Los Angeles Superintendent Alberto Carvalho are among district leaders who've pushed for the release of withheld federal K-12 funding. The three have also sought to explain the consequences to their own communities.
David Zalubowski/AP, Andy Clayton-King/AP, Anthony Behar/AP
School & District Management Opinion ‘You’re Woke’: A Former Superintendent Responds to Intense Backlash
My critics hurled “woke” at me like a verbal grenade—but we need education leaders who are wide awake.
Robert Sokolowski
4 min read
Diverse group of multiethnic multicultural people silhouette. The weaponization of woke.
iStock/Getty Images
School & District Management Women, People of Color Still Underrepresented in Superintendent Ranks
Superintendents are getting younger, earning slightly more, and working longer hours, yet their pay still lags behind inflation, AASA found.
4 min read
Illustration of a Black woman professional carrying a briefcase and dressed in red and walking alongside an oversized male dressed in blue pants with his white hand also carrying a briefcase.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
School & District Management Why These K-12 Administrators Left Education—and What They Did Next
What do a nurse, an emergency responder, and an AI expert have in common? They used to work in schools.
7 min read
11 people walk through a large, dark room towards the exit door, which lights up the scene in a dramatic way. People carry boxes and various bags, indicating that they are relocating or have been laid off from work. Vector illustration.
DigitalVision Vectors