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State Board Selects Six Semifinalists to Interview for Next State Superintendent

March 3, 2015 

LANSING – The State Board of Education met today to review candidates for the position of State Superintendent.  Over 50 candidates applied for the position from Michigan and around the country.  After exhaustive and fulsome review and discussions of all the candidates, done largely in closed session as almost all candidates requested confidentiality, the Board identified six very strong candidates as semifinalists to invite for public interviews next week.

Current State Superintendent Mike Flanagan is retiring at the end of June. 

  • The semifinalists include (in alphabetical order):
  • Randy Davis, Superintendent, Marshall Public Schools; Marshall, MI
  • Alan Ingram, Deputy Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; Malden, MA
  • Randy Liepa, Superintendent, Livonia Public Schools; Livonia, MI
  • Vickie Markavitch, Superintendent, Oakland Schools; Waterford, MI
  • Scott Menzel, Superintendent, Washtenaw Intermediate School District; Ann Arbor, MI
  • Brian Whiston, Superintendent, Dearborn Public Schools; Dearborn, MI

"I am gratified that we had a tremendously strong pool of applicants stepping forward for this important position." said State Board President John Austin.  "I thank all who applied, and know as we take the next step we have very strong candidates to learn more about -- all of whom could do well in helping lead Michigan's education improvement efforts, and our Michigan Department of Education." 

These semifinalists will be interviewed publically at State Board of Education Special Meetings on March 10 and 11, beginning at 9:30 a.m. each day.