Tony Wood Officially Named Education Commissioner

Early last month, Talk Business & Politics first reported that Tony Wood would be recommended to replace outgoing state Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell.

Today, the State Board of Education approved Wood as the Arkansas Department of Education commissioner. Wood has been serving as deputy commissioner at the state agency that oversees Arkansas’ K-12 public school policies.

Kimbrell is leaving the post to become the superintendent at the Bryant School District.

“Tony Wood is clearly a good choice to be our next commissioner of education,” Gov. Beebe said. “He has always put the needs of students first throughout his academic career, and Tony has carried that philosophy statewide while serving Arkansas as deputy commissioner.”

“While transition is never simple, I cannot imagine being more confident in the leadership of the department and the future of education in Arkansas,” SBE Board Chair Brenda Gullett said. “Tony Wood is an exceptional leader and will be an exceptional commissioner.”

Wood will assume his new role July 1.

Wood began his career in education as a chemistry and biology teacher in the Beedeville School District. He later taught math and chemistry at Judsonia before becoming principal and later superintendent at the Kensett School District, where he worked for 14 years.

Wood served as the deputy superintendent for the Little Rock School District prior to accepting the superintendent role at Searcy, a position he held for 18 years before being named deputy commissioner.

Wood has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Education from Harding University at Searcy and an administrator certification from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

He is a member of the Arkansas Rural Education Association and Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators.