A Makeover for the Texas Education Agency

by Jacob Sanchez

 

As Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced his picks for several new deputy commissioner positions, some teacher groups were to quick to focus on the charter school experience among the group.

 

 

The Texas Tribune’s Kiah Collier reported Thursday that Morath announced the new posts he created as part of a sweeping reorganization of the Texas Education Agency.

 

 

Martin Winchester, who will oversee the agency’s educator leadership and quality division, developed a principal recruiting program for charter network IDEA Public Schools in Texas. Penny Schwinn, who will oversee the agency’s assessment and accountability division, opened a charter school in Sacramento before working for the Delaware Department of Education, where she has also overseen accountability and performance. And Megan Aghazadian, who will oversee operations for the agency, has had a similar role with KIPP in Austin. They start their new jobs May 9.

 

 

Citing the charter school experience among the new officials, the Texas State Teachers Association urged Morath and his appointees Thursday “to make the needs of all 5.2 million Texas public school students their singular priority before focusing on alternatives that provide for only select groups of students.”

 

 

The two other hires announced Thursday by Morath have already started. A.J. Crabill, who served on the Kansas City Public Schools board, is the deputy commissioner of governance. Kara Belew, who previously served as statewide budget director for Gov. Greg Abbott, is the deputy commissioner of finance.

 

 

Morath, who had previously served as a Dallas school district trustee, was named education commissioner in December.

 

 

Disclosure: The Texas State Teachers Association is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.

 

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at http://www.texastribune.org/2016/04/15/the-brief/.

 

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