States

News in Brief: A State Capitals Roundup

February 21, 2001 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Mass. Governor Tapped for Ambassador Post

Gov. Paul Cellucci of Massachusetts last week accepted President Bush’s nomination to become the U.S. ambassador to Canada. The nomination requires the approval of the U.S. Senate.

Subject to confirmation by the state legislature, Lt. Gov. Jane M. Swift would serve out the two-year remainder of Mr. Cellucci’s term if he takes up the diplomatic post.

Mr. Cellucci, a Republican, was himself lieutenant governor in 1997 when then-Gov. William F. Weld resigned following his ill-fated nomination to be ambassador to Mexico.

As governor, Mr. Cellucci has steadfastly defended the state’s standards- based assessment system against opposition from teachers’ unions and other critics.

He also pushed for a change in state policy, approved by the state board of education last spring, to test the skills of secondary-level mathematics teachers if many of their students fail to pass state tests.

Ms. Swift, who is also a Republican, has been leading the Cellucci administration’s efforts to raise student performance on the state tests since last summer. Her high-profile role in promoting the administration’s education agenda has prompted some in the state to refer to her the state’s “education czar.”

Last year, Ms. Swift was the subject of probe by a state ethics commission that, among other issues, examined her use of staff members to babysit her young daughter. Ultimately, she was rebuked on only one charge related to babysitting. Ms. Swift is currently pregnant with twins.

—Jessica L. Sandham


Kentucky Extends Takeover of Floyd County District

The Kentucky Department of Education will stay in charge of the Floyd County public schools for another three years.

The state board of education voted to renew the 3-year-old takeover measure that has Woodrow Carter, a state- appointed administrator, overseeing every aspect of the 7,100-student district in the eastern part of the state.

Over the course of the past three years, the state takeover team has improved the management and finances of the district, said Lisa Y. Gross, a spokeswoman for the education department. The team is now focusing on improving the district’s curriculum and instruction, she said.

The Floyd County district is the only Kentucky school district managed by the state.

—David J. Hoff

A version of this article appeared in the February 21, 2001 edition of Education Week as News in Brief: A State Capitals Roundup

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

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

States Liberals Win Hotly Contested School Board Races in Backlash to Conservative Control
A Democrat who championed teacher pay raises was also reelected Kentucky's governor and Democrats won legislative majorities in Virginia.
6 min read
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks during an election night rally after he was elected to a second term in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 7, 2023. At right is his wife Britainy Beshear.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks during an election night rally after he was elected to a second term in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 7, 2023. At right is his wife Britainy Beshear.
Timothy D. Easley/AP
States Why Governors Are Exerting More Control Over Schools
Ohio has become the latest state to award the governor more control over schools. But the change has run into legal challenges.
7 min read
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine speaks about his plans for the coming year during an interview at the Governor's Residence in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 13, 2019.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine speaks about his plans for the coming year during an interview at the Governor's Residence in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 13, 2019. An overhaul that gives the governor more power over state education policy has run into legal obstacles.
John Minchillo/AP
States Opinion Michigan’s Gov. Whitmer Has a Message for Teachers: Move to a State That Has Your Back
There are two competing visions for public education playing out across the country, writes Gretchen Whitmer. Here’s a vision for supporting teachers.
Gretchen Whitmer
3 min read
Illustration of a happy vector school building and a bright blue Michigan State Map
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty + Education Week
States State Laws Restricting Curriculum, Pronoun Use Cause Confusion and Chaos in Schools
Educators say state laws that limit teaching about race, gender identity, and sexuality are vague, with little help from state departments.
8 min read
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference to sign several bills related to public education and increases in teacher pay, in Miami, on May 9, 2023.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference to sign several bills related to public education and increases in teacher pay, in Miami, on May 9, 2023.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP