The Board of Regents has picked a controversial leader from Florida to take over the state Department of Education. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed the following report.
With a unanimous vote, the state Board of Regents appointed MaryEllen Elia, a former superintendent of a sprawling Florida school district, to be New York's next education commissioner.
"I think the biggest thing that we all can do is work to improve and support teachers to get better every day," Elia said.
In some ways, it's a surprising choice. In December, Elia was named Florida superintendent of the year - and one of four finalists for the national award - only to be fired a few weeks later from her position leading the Hillsborough County schools, the country's eighth-largest district.
Elia had run the Florida district for a decade and had been celebrated for working with the teachers' union to enact sweeping reforms, like raising academic standards and using test scores to evaluate teachers. Those are policies that overlap with the work the New York Board of Regents, and previous education Commissioner John King, have tried to accomplish here in recent years.
"I am in favor of having tests that are fair, reliable and valid," Elia said.
However, some of the complaints that led to Elia's ouster in Florida echo criticism that education reformers face here in New York, including issues with how she communicated.
Now, as New York tries to advance its reforms and win back parents and teachers who feel alienated, maybe it's not surprising that the word "listen" came up again and again Tuesday.
"My plan would be to be out in the state, listening to various groups and getting feedback," Elia said.
A few education advocates, including activist Diane Ravitch, quickly spoke out against Elia's appointment, but most stakeholders, including the unions and charter school supporters, struck an optimistic note, at least for now.
"We have great hope that we'll have a good relationship and move forward," said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers.
The new commissioner, who began her career as a teacher in Western New York, will begin July 6.