Two mean Hutchinson has appointed majority of Education Board

Gov. Asa Hutchinson Friday appointed the president of Arkansas Baptist College and the 2015 Teacher of the Year to the state Board of Education. When they take office, five of the board’s nine members will be Hutchinson appointees.

Hutchinson’s office announced that Dr. Fitz Hill of Little Rock and Ouida Newton of Leola will begin their seven-year terms July 1 and serve until June 30, 2023.

Hill, who replaces Vicki Saviers, has been president of Arkansas Baptist College since February 2006. When he started that position, the school faced an uncertain future. Since then, enrollment has increased from less than 200 students to more than 1,100 students, while the annual budget increased from $2 million to almost $21 million. He previously was the head football coach at San Jose State University and, before that, was a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks football coaching staff for 12 years.

Newton, who replaces current State Board Chair Toyce Newton, was the Arkansas Department of Education’s 2015 Teacher of the Year. In that position, she was a nonvoting member of the State Board of Education. An Arkansas educator for 37 years, she has taught math in every grade from grades 6-12, served as K-12 library media specialist for the Poyen School District, and taught college algebra and college trigonometry at the College of the Ouachitas. She has experience in curriculum development and data analysis.

In a statement from his office, Hutchinson said, “I am pleased to appoint Ouida Newton and Dr. Fitz Hill to the State Board of Education. Mrs. Newton and Dr. Hill bring a great deal of experience to the Board with their extensive background in education. I am confident they will be great additions to the Board. They both care deeply about our public education system and providing the greatest opportunities for our children.”

Dr. Gary Ritter, a professor of education policy at the University of Arkansas and a faculty director of the UA’s Office of Education Policy, noted that Hill and Newton have significant experience in education.

“There’s a bit of a theme in his appointees. He’s got two folks who have really spent a lot of time with school-age kids.”

The State Board has significant influence over K-12 education policy. Among its duties is declaring school districts to be in academic, fiscal or facilities distress or taking the bigger step, taking over the school district, as it has done with the Little Rock School District. A law passed in the recent special session declares a one-year moratorium on declaring districts in academic distress. The State Board also can review and deny the creation or expansion of charter schools. Ritter noted that has been a big issue lately in Little Rock, where some supporters of the Little Rock School District oppose the expansion of two charter schools, eStem Public Charter Schools and the Lisa Academy.

Hill’s experience leading a historically black college in Little Rock will be a plus, Ritter said.

“One of the key challenges facing the state is how to better serve mainly African-American, economically disadvantage students in the Little Rock area. I couldn’t think of anyone better than Fitz Hill,” he said.

Last July, Hutchinson appointed three board members: Susan Chambers of Bella Vista; Charisse Dean of Little Rock; and Brett Williamson of El Dorado.

The other four members were appointed by Gov. Mike Beebe: Mireya Reith of Fayetteville and Joe Black of Newport, whose terms expire in 2018; Dr. Jay Barth of Little Rock, whose term expires in 2019; and Diane Zook of Melbourne, whose term expires in 2020.

Hutchinson and the State Board were on opposite sides last year regarding the state’s use of the PARCC exam, an end-of-year student exam aligned with the Common Core. At the time, the State Board consisted entirely of Beebe appointees.

Arkansas had been part of a PARCC consortium that started with 24 states and had dwindled to nine, including Arkansas, plus the District of Columbia. On June 8, Hutchinson recommended the state join the exodus. On June 11, the State Board of Education declined to drop PARCC.

On June 22, Hutchinson directed the Department of Education through a letter to Education Commissioner Johnny Key to use a different test. In doing so, he relied on a memorandum of understanding dated Sept. 20, 2010, that says the governor or chief state school officer “shall affirm in writing to the Governing Board Chair the State’s continued commitment to participation in the Consortium.” In his letter, he said he preferred the ACT and ACT Aspire exams.

Eventually, the State Board backed down, and Arkansas adopted the ACT Aspire exam.