Flanagan Begins National Search for State School Reform/Redesign Officer

September 21, 2010
LANSING - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan has begun a national search for the next state School Reform/Redesign Officer.

Flanagan is inviting Letters of Interest from persons eager to head the state's new School Reform and Redesign Office. This person will be appointed by, and will serve under, Flanagan as a Deputy Superintendent in the Michigan Department of Education, and continue to develop and lead a statewide School Reform/Redesign District consisting of some of the lowest achieving public school buildings in the state.

"I am looking for a progressive professional with strong administrative skills committed to innovative education reforms and having an iron will to increase the academic achievement of all students," Flanagan said.

MaryAlice Galloway currently is serving as the interim School Reform/Redesign Officer. She was appointed by Flanagan to begin the alignment of the new office with the other school improvement and accountability functions within the Michigan Department of Education.

The School Reform/Redesign Office was created under the new school reform legislation signed into state law in January. The office is authorized to develop and operate the statewide School Reform/Redesign District consisting of individual public schools that persistently do not improve student achievement.

The School Reform/Redesign Officer acts as the superintendent of the statewide Reform/Redesign District and has all the powers and duties described in MCL.380.1280c and the provisions of the Act that would otherwise apply to a local school board that previously operated the schools.

Flanagan is seeking a School Reform/Redesign Officer who has a day-to-day knowledge of operating a school district, while enlisting a passion and vision for ReImagining how education can be effectively delivered for all children in the 21st Century.

"While I am casting a national net in this search, I invite any of the top educators in Michigan to consider this opportunity, too," Flanagan said.

Letters of Interest are to be submitted directly to Flanagan at flanaganmp@michigan.gov by November 1, 2010. Persons submitting the most compelling and innovative Letters of Interest may be contacted for further consideration.