Federal

Fiscal Official Tapped for E.D. Post

By Sean Cavanagh — November 05, 2003 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

President Bush announced last week his intention to fill the No. 3 position in the Department of Education with a top financial officer from another federal agency, a move supporters say will help preserve fiscal order at the department.

Edward R. “Ted” McPherson, the chief financial officer for the Department of Agriculture, will be nominated to the job of undersecretary of education, the White House and the Education Department said on Oct. 28.

That role would call for him to serve as a key adviser to Secretary of Education Rod Paige, whose senior staff has seen several departures recently. The same day as the announcement about Mr. McPherson, the secretary named Anne Radice, a former foundation executive, as his chief of staff.

A Texas native, Mr. McPherson, 58, has years of financial experience in government and private industry, but little apparent expertise on school issues. His appointment still requires Senate confirmation.

The undersecretary traditionally serves as a principal adviser to the secretary on matters ranging from the budget and strategic planning to education policy. Several observers suggested that political and policy duties, including the continued implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, were likely to remain the domain of the No. 2 official in the department, acting Deputy Secretary of Education Eugene W. Hickok, who has also been serving as undersecretary.

Mr. Paige suggested that Mr. McPherson was being tapped for his financial know- how. The Agriculture Department official would be a “valuable asset in our continued efforts to be responsible stewards” of federal tax dollars, the secretary said in a statement.

A spokesman for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, said it was too early to comment on the confirmation process for Mr. McPherson.

Watching the Books

The White House and the Education Department offered no comment on whether Mr. Hickok—one of the department’s most visible advocates for the No Child Left Behind law—would be nominated for Senate confirmation as deputy secretary.

The Department of Education oversees an annual discretionary budget of roughly $53 billion.

Mr. McPherson’s name emerged about four months after the resignation of Deputy Secretary of Education William D. Hansen, who cited a desire to spend more time with his family. Observers credited Mr. Hansen with revamping financial oversight of the 4,800-employee department. Under his stewardship, the agency received its first “clean” audit report on its finances in six years. (“Ed. Dept’s No. 2 Official Announces Resignation,” June 6, 2003, and “Department’s No. 2 Official Stepping Down,” June 11, 2003.)

Bruce Hunter, a lobbyist for the American Association of School Administrators, in Arlington, Va., predicted that Mr. McPherson would absorb the budget-watchdog duties previously handled by Mr. Hansen.

“If they’re asking him to go out and make education speeches, he might be able to do that,” Mr. Hunter said of Mr. McPherson, “but he wouldn’t have a whole lot of credibility.”

Ms. Radice, 55, has served as the executive director of two New York City foundations: Friends of Dresden, devoted to the revival of the German city heavily bombed during World War II; and the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, a human-rights organization. She has also been the acting chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

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
Recruitment & Retention Webinar
Exploring Staff Shortage Impact on Education
Learn about the impact of staff shortages, changing roles of educators, and how technology supports teachers & students.
Content provided by Promethean
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
Assessment Webinar
Improving Outcomes on State Assessments with Data-Driven Strategies
State testing is around the corner! Join us as we discuss how teachers can use formative data to drive improved outcomes on state assessments.
Content provided by Instructure
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
Equity & Diversity Webinar
Classroom Strategies for Building Equity and Student Confidence
Shape equity, confidence, and success for your middle school students. Join the discussion and Q&A for proven strategies.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way

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

Federal The Push for a $60K Base Teacher Salary Gains Steam as Bernie Sanders Signs On
Sanders' legislation complements a proposal in the House and comes as state lawmakers from both parties prioritize legislation to boost teacher pay.
6 min read
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., outlines his priorities during an interview in his Capitol Hill office, Feb. 7, 2023.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., outlines his priorities during an interview in his Capitol Hill office, Feb. 7, 2023.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Federal Q&A Ending 'Government-Run Monopoly' on Schools Is Top Priority for Rep. Virginia Foxx
The Republican chair of the U.S. House's education committee plans to pass parents' rights and school choice bills.
5 min read
House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., greets then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at the conclusion of a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.' Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 6, 2018.
House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., greets then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at the conclusion of a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington in June 2018. Foxx spoke to Education Week about her priorities as she becomes chair of the committee for a second time.
Carolyn Kaster/AP
Federal Opinion Is This the Key to Unlocking Breakthrough Education Research?
An innovative federal R&D program for education is getting underway. Rick Hess and Jal Mehta discuss their mixed feelings about it.
5 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Federal Educators' Mental Health Gets New Attention in Federal Bill
The legislation aims to support the mental health of school staff as they report high levels of depression and work-related stress.
5 min read
Photo of stressed teacher.
iStock / Getty Images Plus