BESE to consider hiring

The policy director of a Seattle education advocacy group is in line to become the next executive director of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Heather Cope, an official with the League of Education Voters, is set to be recommended to the 11-member board next week, said Penny Dastugue, president of the panel.

Cope would succeed Catherine Pozniak, who took the job 18 months ago, and will be BESE’s fifth executive director in the past four years.

BESE sets policies for about 700,000 public school students statewide. The executive director is responsible for administrative and fiscal operations of the board office.

Dastugue said Cope brings both administrative and legislative lobbying experience to the job.

Cope is a former teacher and reporter, according to the group’s website.

She has a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science from the University of Washington and a degree in teaching from Pace University. The organization calls itself an advocate of systemic changes in public schools, including tougher classroom standards, better funding of public schools and effective accountability policies.

BESE is set to consider Cope’s hiring during a meeting on Wednesday at 10:45 a.m.

Comments

1) Comment by Traveler - 09/08/2012

Spqr: Ms. Cope's (very limited) professional bio on the website of the League of Education Voters confirms your suspicion that she is, indeed, a lightweight in the field, considering the job for which she is applying. Her credentials are less impressive than those of many home-grown Louisiana educators who might have been considered for the job. Which brings us to the obvious question, WHY HER? BESE seems to be following the pattern established by the Jindal administration of placing young, relatively inexperienced, malleable indivuduals in high-profile positions, so that they can be easily manipulated and controlled by their handlers. Additionally, the League of Education Voters identifies itself as a pro-charter organization. She and John White should get along very well.

2) Comment by timesright - 09/08/2012

Well, well. Why so many personnel changes in this position? Did Ms. Pozniak get tired of monitoring phone conferences to be sure there wasn't a quorum?

3) Comment by Traveler - 09/08/2012

The Advocate reporter needs to ask three questions: First, each time a new executive director is hired, does BESE use a search firm; if so, at what expense to Louisiana taxpayers? Second, what is the salary of the executive director? Third, why is the turnover rate for this job so high----what is driving one executive director after another away? Since The Advocate is the only daily newspaper for the capital city, and since it is read all over the state, the reporter needs to do a much more thorough job of investigating and reporting this kind of story.

4) Comment by spqr - 09/08/2012

Another out of state so-called "expert" drawing a salary larger than teachers on the front of education every day. Why didn't the Advocate report her classroom experience? Like John White, it's probably not impressive.

5) Comment by Traveler - 09/08/2012

Five executive directors in four years? The Advocate's reporter would do well to look into why there is such a high turnover rate in this job. What is happening within BESE that is driving these directors away after such brief times in this position?