Commish Candidates Trimmed to a Dozen

This from H-L:

Education commissioner candidate

interviews begin Sunday

The list of applicants for Kentucky education commissioner has been narrowed to about a dozen names, and the state board of education will start interviewing the candidates this weekend...

Greenwood/Asher & Associates, a Florida-based search firm hired by the board, accumulated an initial list of about 300 applicants for the job, then winnowed that to about 100.

That list has been trimmed to about a dozen, after the search firm conferred with state board members during their regular meeting in Frankfort, which wrapped up Thursday, Kentucky Education Department spokeswoman Lisa Gross said...

At least one Kentuckian has applied — Daviess County Superintendent Tom Shelton. It is not known whether Shelton is still in the running.

Unlike the ill-fated 2007 search that produced Barbara Erwin - who quit the job before starting it, citing media pressure over her numerous resume errors - board members acknowledge they are mindful of the proper role of the search firm and indicate the new (and more expensive) search firm is meeting the board's needs.

The best news could be number and quality of candidates. Board member Dorie Combs told KSN&C that she is "very pleased with the quality of the candidates."