The Ohio Department of Education in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.)
The Ohio State Board of Education appointed Paul Craft to be the next State Superintendent of Public Instruction during Tuesday’s monthly meeting.
Craft’s first day as superintendent will be Jan. 1 and his annual salary will be $190,000, according to the state board resolution.
“Ohio is home to outstanding educators and school personnel, and I’m excited to lead the work to ensure we have an excellent education workforce ready to make a difference for students,” Craft said in a statement.
He is currently the superintendent of Buckeye Valley Local Schools, a role he has served in since August 2022. He was also the superintendent of Delaware City Schools for nine years and previously worked in Upper Arlington City Schools, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He was also the CEO of Metropolitan Educational Technology Association (META) Solutions for three years and previously served in the Ohio Army National Guard for over 30 years, according to his LinkedIn.
Craft received his undergraduate degree in secondary education and leadership from the University of Montana and his masters in educational leadership from Ohio State University.
“We want to make sure Ohio is a national leader when it comes to our teaching workforce, and Paul Craft will position us to advance the work focused on having excellent educators in our classrooms,” Paul LaRue, president of the State Board of Education of Ohio, said in a statement.
The other finalists for state superintendent were Jeffrey Greenley, the superintendent of Belpre City Schools, and Julia Simmerer, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Senior Executive Director for the Center for Teaching, Leading, and Learning.
The vote came down to Craft and Greenley. Fifteen members voted for Craft while board members Michelle Newman and Christina Collins voted for Greenley after coming out of executive session.
“We received a lot of wonderful letters in support of Mr. Greenley and his qualifications, so I really wanted to proudly put his name forward, but I will proudly vote in support of this resolution,” Newman said before voting to appoint Craft.
All board members voted in favor of the resolution to appoint Craft as superintendent.
Chris Woolard is currently the interim state Superintendent of Public Instruction and search firm Ray & Associates helped the board find superintendent candidates.
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