Board of Education approves finalist for commissioner of education position

New commissioner could start Oct. 16

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 23, 2015) — The Kentucky Board of Education today voted to authorize chairman Roger Marcum to make an offer and negotiate the terms of employment with Stephen L. Pruitt as the new commissioner of education, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports.

The board plans to ratify the new commissioner’s contract at its Oct. 6 meeting, with the new commissioner possibly starting Oct. 16.

Pruitt is currently senior vice president at Achieve, Inc., an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit education reform organization, where he has served since 2010. Pruitt’s prior experience includes chief of staff, associate state superintendent, director of academic standards, and science and mathematics program manager with the Georgia Department of Education; and high school chemistry teacher in Fayetteville and Tyrone, Georgia. He earned a bachelor’s degree from North Georgia College and State University; a master’s from the University of West Georgia and a Doctorate of Philosophy from Auburn University.