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Board Chooses Education Leader

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By MARILYN BROWN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 9, 2007

TAMPA - The man chosen to strengthen Florida's complex education system and tackle its toughest problems has been praised nationally for increasing student achievement and lowering dropout rates.

The state board of education on Monday approved hiring Eric J. Smith, currently senior vice president for the College Board, known for developing college entrance and Advanced Placement exams.

Smith, 57, is the smart, dynamic, visionary leader Florida needs to oversee the state's prekindergarten through community college system, state board members said.

'At the end of the day, what he's supposed to be doing, gets done,' Board Chairman T. Willard Fair said. 'He has a sense of urgency.'

Smith has been a quick-working reformer, helping to close the achievement gap of minorities, a supporter of prekindergarten programs to boost third-grade reading and an advocate of expanding Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.

In Monday's interview, Smith said his goals include assessing the state's education standards to see what type of skills are being measured, and increasing achievement in middle and high schools.

'I don't believe every child should go to college,' Smith said. 'But we should work like the dickens to prepare every child for college.'

'Different Kind Of Leadership Style'

In interviews with the three finalists Monday, board members were clearly looking for a strong leader who will stand up to controversy as they continue to push the state's accountability system and boost middle and high school performance. They also homed in on addressing the state's increasing diversity and slashing dropout rates.

Smith was questioned on his management style in light of his resignation from his superintendency in Anne Arundel school district in Maryland in the wake of teacher union distrust and an unflattering audit. Smith said he did nothing unethical or illegal. The Washington Post, which reported on the problems, never uncovered anything to dispute that.

'I like to see clear direction, then give a lot of room for good, solid people to do the work,' Smith said.

Asked if he perceives himself as arrogant, Smith seemed stumped. 'I don't perceive myself as arrogant,' he said. 'I don't have an answer for that.'

Fair jumped in and said that arrogance 'isn't necessarily a bad term,' and asked Smith whether he had learned anything from the Anne Arundel experience.

'l learned a lot,' Smith said, including that he needs to do things in a way that will garner organizational commitment.

Later, he noted that, 'At the end of the day, a decision needs to be made,' and that compromises can be made 'to the point where you no longer have an agenda.'

Board member Donna Callaway said, 'You can't miss his intelligence. ... There's a good arrogance you can have.'

Eugene Peterson, a school board member in the Anne Arundel district, said last week that he was a strong supporter of the things Smith initiated and that many of them are still in place. It was a 'style issue' that got Smith bad press in Maryland.

'It's a different kind of leadership style,' Peterson said. 'It wasn't what he did; it was how he did it. ... It's 'Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.' If that's what you want in Florida, he's your man.'

Commissioner Has Several Bosses

How Smith will alter Florida's complex and often controversial education system will be in great measure determined by how adept he is at working with an array of political bosses.

Smith will answer to the seven-member board of education, proposing innovations and policy, while working with the governor and lawmakers to carry out their agendas.

In a statement Monday, Gov. Charlie Crist praised Smith. 'His emphasis on improving reading performance and enhancing course offerings shows that Dr. Smith can effectively address the needs of all students. I am confident that under his leadership, we will ensure that every Florida student has the opportunity to receive a year's worth of learning in a year's worth of time.'

A national search company, Proact Search, found a pool of 32 candidates, which narrowed to seven for interviews three weeks ago. Smith was a finalist with Florida's K-12 Education Chancellor Cheri Yecke and Joseph Marinelli, a district superintendent in New York.

Smith must negotiate a contract and the board agreed Monday that the governor's office will be involved in the transition. His last permanent predecessor, John Winn, made $254,925 before he left in February after Crist's election. Winn brought Yecke to Florida from Minnesota where she was appointed as education commissioner, but lost her confirmation hearing after serving more than a year in office.

Jeanine Blomberg has been serving as commissioner of education since Winn left.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069 or mbrown@tampatrib.com.

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