KBE sets Jan. 7 meeting to begin process of replacing Ed Commissioner Draud

This from KSBA:

The Kentucky Board of Education will return to Frankfort on Jan. 7 to begin the process of finding a new state education commissioner. The meeting also will shed some light on how the Department of Education plans to implement Gov. Steve Beshear’s call for a 2 percent spending reduction by June 30.

The state board meeting agenda, released this morning, includes the following items:

• Acceptance of the resignation of Commissioner Jon Draud
• Administrative issues relative to Draud’s departure (assumed to be the appointment of an interim commissioner following Draud’s early February exit)
• Steps to follow in filling the position of commissioner
• Discussion and consideration of a motion to approve KDE’s 2 percent budget reduction proposal
• The agenda also includes a pair of planned closed sessions tied to personnel issues.

Dr. Draud announced last week that he would resign his position of 13 months. He is recovering from a stroke he suffered in September.

Although the governor protected base SEEK funding from his spending reductions to cover a projected $454 million revenue shortfall, he directed state agencies to reduce spending in varying amounts, including a 2 percent cut for the remainder of elementary and secondary education programs. Department of Education officials have made no public announcements to date of how that spending reduction will be implemented.