69ý

Federal

Simon Nominated to Be Deputy Secretary

April 26, 2005 4 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL
Raymond J. Simon, the U.S. Education Department's assistant secretary for K-12, reviews notes at a Senate hearing on early childhood last week.

Raymond J. Simon appears on track for a big promotion at the Department of Education.

President Bush this month nominated the longtime educator and former Arkansas state schools chief to take the No. 2 slot at the department, where he now serves as a popular and high-profile assistant secretary.

“I think he’s going to be a good selection,” said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the Senate education committee, which must approve the nomination before sending it to the full Senate. “I haven’t talked to the chairman about this yet,” Sen. Kennedy said in an interview last week, referring to Sen. Michael B. Enzi, R-Wyo., “but it should be pretty simple, pretty quick.”

Meanwhile, Mississippi state schools Superintendent Henry L. Johnson, who has been a vocal supporter of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, is reportedly being considered to replace Mr. Simon as the assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education.

There has long been speculation that Mr. Simon would get the president’s nod for the deputy secretary’s slot. He is well-liked in Washington policy circles and far beyond the Capital Beltway.

President Bush’s April 15 nomination of Mr. Simon was welcomed by some prominent education groups here, including the Council of Chief State School Officers.

The council “could not be more pleased,” said its executive director, G. Thomas Houlihan. “He is a practitioner who’s lived in the shoes of people who have to carry out this [No Child Left Behind] legislation.”

“Our dealings with Mister Simon have worked out really well,” said Bruce Hunter, the chief lobbyist for the American Association of School Administrators, based in Arlington, Va. “He has been there in the chair, trying to make things work on a day-to-day basis, and that’s part of the reason why his dealings with administrators have been so generally positive.”

A ‘Natural Step’

Mr. Simon has spent his entire professional career in education, with stints as a math teacher, school principal, district superintendent, and Arkansas state chief. Since joining the federal Education Department in December 2003, he’s played a key role in carrying out the No Child Left Behind Act. The measure, which President Bush signed in January 2002, is under fire from state legislatures, teachers’ unions, and others for its mandates on school improvement and what critics say is inadequate funding.(“Union, States Wage Frontal Attack on NCLB,” and “Chiefs’ Group, Federal Department on Better Terms,” April 27, 2005.)

Mr. Simon said that, if the Senate confirms his nomination, he expects to remain deeply involved with the law’s implementation.

Raymond J. Simon, left, talks with Wade F. Horn, a federal health and human services official, after Mr. Simon spoke before a Senate education subcommittee.

“Should I be fortunate enough to be confirmed, it’s going to be a very natural step for me in view of the fact that the secretary has reorganized the department, and basically the deputy secretary will have immediate oversight in working with the ‘little kids,’ we call it, K-12,” he said in an interview after testifying April 20 on early-childhood education before a Senate subommittee.

“It would be an opportunity,” he said, “to really make sure that the resources of the department are truly focused on the mission of No Child Left Behind.”

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings in March announced plans to revamp the agency’s structure, including the creation of two new offices headed by assistant secretaries. (“Spellings Puts Her Stamp on Department,” March 11, 2005.)

A day before his Senate testimony, Mr. Simon showed a lighter side to his former colleagues at the CCSSO’s annual legislative conference. Starting an hourlong question-and-answer session, he joked about how thoroughly the FBI vets potential nominees for positions such as deputy secretary of education.

He filled out a questionnaire that asked, among other things, whether he had ever used drugs illegally. “Answer ‘yes,’ ” he said, “even if you didn’t inhale.”

That and other jokes drew laughter from CCSSO members, and his message was received warmly. He promised that the department would review state accountability plans—blueprints for how states will meet accountability requirements under the NCLB law—in the “most objective manner as we possibly can.”

If confirmed, Mr. Simon would replace Eugene W. Hickok, who stepped down as deputy secretary early this year.

As for the vacancy Mr. Simon’s promotion would create, the Bush administration may look to fill it with Mr. Johnson, the Mississippi education superintendent. The White House declined to comment on the matter.

Mr. Johnson, Mississippi’s first African-American state schools chief since Reconstruction, could not be reached for comment last week. He told the Jackson, Miss., Clarion-Ledger newspaper this month that he was being considered for the K-12 assistant secretary’s post, but that no formal offer had been made.

Kenny Bush, a member of the Mississippi board of education who helped hire Mr. Johnson in 2002, would not comment when asked whether the schools chief would accept the federal post. But he said that Washington’s gain would be Mississippi’s loss.

“He would be great at traveling, giving speeches, at helping the U.S. Department of Education serve the various states,” the state board member said. “I think he would bring tremendous credibility to the U.S. Department of Education. My only concern would be whether he would have the patience to put up with the bureaucracy in Washington.”

Assistant Editor David J. Hoff and Staff Writer Alan Richard contributed to this story.

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

Federal Video Linda McMahon: 5 Things to Know About Trump's Choice for Education Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate former pro-wrestling CEO Linda McMahon to lead the education department.
1 min read
Federal The K-12 World Reacts to Linda McMahon, Trump's Choice for Education Secretary
Some question her lack of experience in education, while supporters say her business background is a major asset.
7 min read
Linda McMahon, former Administrator of Small Business Administration, speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Linda McMahon speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. McMahon has been selected by President-elect Trump to serve as as the next secretary of education.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Federal What a National School Choice Program Under President Trump Might Look Like
School choice advocates—and detractors—see a second Trump term as the biggest opportunity in decades for choice at the federal level.
8 min read
President Donald Trump listens during a "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's 69ý," event in the East Room of the White House, on July 7, 2020, in Washington.
President Donald Trump listens during a "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's 69ý," event in the East Room of the White House on July 7, 2020, in Washington. He returns to power with more momentum than ever behind policies that allow public dollars to pay for private school education.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal 5 Things to Know About Linda McMahon, Trump's Pick for Education Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump’s selection, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment has long spoken favorably about school choice.
7 min read
Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon speaks during a briefing at the White House in Washington on Oct. 3, 2018.
Linda McMahon speaks during a briefing at the White House in Washington on Oct. 3, 2018, when she was serving as head of the Small Business Administration during President Trump's first administration. McMahon is now President-elect Trump's choice for U.S. secretary of education.
Susan Walsh/AP