After interviewing four finalists last week, the Utah Board of Education announced its new state school superintendent and it was not Georgia school Superintendent John Barge. The board chose a Utah educator for the post.
Credit: Maureen Downey
Credit: Maureen Downey
I am not worried about Dr. Barge's job prospects. He will land a good job, perhaps leading one of Georgia's school districts.
According to the Utah state board release:
Eight members of the Board voted to extend the offer following several hours of discussion both Thursday night and Friday. Smith accepted the offer Friday afternoon and announced plans to begin work at the Utah State Office of Education in the first week of November.
On Thursday, the Board conducted hour-long interviews with each of the four finalists for the position. The interviews were conducted in public and streamed live online. Board Members deliberated in closed session following the interviews Thursday night and again Friday morning and afternoon.
The finalists included: Rich Crandall, former director of the Wyoming Department of Education; Brad Smith, Ogden School District Superintendent; John Barge, State Superintendent in Georgia; and Martin Bates, Granite School District Superintendent. The four finalists were selected from a group of seven semi-finalists interviewed Sept. 15 by more than 40 representatives from local education, business and government groups.
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