69ý

School & District Management

Gov.-Elect Wants Chief to Go

By Vaishali Honawar — December 05, 2006 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Maryland’s newly elected governor believes it’s time for state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick to say goodbye, but she says she’s not leaving the job she’s held for 15 years any time soon.

Nancy S. Grasmick

According to Rick Abbruzzese, a spokesman for Gov.-elect Martin O’Malley, who is serving his last few weeks as the mayor of Baltimore, Mr. O’Malley and Ms. Grasmick have not spoken directly in months.

Mr. O’Malley, a Democrat, has said in a series of radio and television interviews since his election Nov. 7 that he believes it is time for a change at the state department of education, which Ms. Grasmick, 67, has led since 1991 under governors of both major parties.

“I think it would be a great time for a fresh start. ... I think in her heart of hearts, she probably knows that, too,” Mr. O’Malley told the Washington-based WUSA-TV last month.

Mr. O’Malley and Ms. Grasmick, who have long been at loggerheads over how to improve the Baltimore city schools, particularly clashed earlier this year after the superintendent attempted to take over four of the city’s low-performing schools under provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act—the first attempt in the country to invoke the federal law as grounds for a state takeover.

The legislature thwarted the attempt, but Ms. Grasmick’s move was interpreted by many in Maryland as political.

Although a Democrat, she has been a close ally of outgoing Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., a Republican who, at the time, was anticipating his eventual contest with Mr. O’Malley over the governorship.

Mr. O’Malley has no direct power to remove Ms. Grasmick, who was appointed by the 12-member state school board and is part way through a four-year contract that will expire in June 2008.

“The state department of education was designed to be separated from politics, and that has served the citizens of Maryland really well,” said Bill Reinhard, a spokesman for Ms. Grasmick.

A version of this article appeared in the December 06, 2006 edition of Education Week

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69ý
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

School & District Management Reports Strategic Resourcing for K-12 Education: A Work in Progress
This report highlights key findings from surveys of K-12 administrators and product/service providers to shed light on the alignment of purchasing with instructional goals.
School & District Management Download Shhhh!!! It's Underground Spirit Week, Don't Tell the 69ý
Try this fun twist on the Spirit Week tradition.
Illustration of shushing emoji.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion How My Experience With Linda McMahon Can Help You Navigate the Trump Ed. Agenda
I have a lesson for district leaders from my (limited) interactions with Trump’s pick for ed. secretary, writes a former superintendent.
Joshua P. Starr
4 min read
Vector illustration of people walking on upward arrows, symbolizing growth, progress, and teamwork towards success.
iStock/Getty Images
School & District Management Opinion How Social-Emotional Learning Can Unify Your School Community: 7 Timely Tips
It’s a stressful political season. These SEL best practices can help school leaders weather the unpredictable transitions.
Maurice J. Elias
4 min read
Modern digital collage of caring leader surrounded by positivity. Social Emotional learning leadership.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva