New state education chief sought

Jeffrey Libby

Monday, Aug. 14, 2000 | 11:33 a.m.

A subcommittee of the Nevada Board of Education says it hopes to have a new superintendent of public instruction in place by December.

The subcommittee has yet to advertise for the position, but it plans to submit a request for state funds within the week.

Mary Peterson announced July 28 that she would not seek reappointment to a third term as superintendent. Peterson, a former English teacher, has served since January 1995.

Peterson said she was proud of her accomplishments but that there is still work to be done. During her tenure, she helped to expand the school assessment system, allowing low-performing schools to be more easily identified and improved. The state also participated for the first time in the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

An independent search firm will be hired to expedite the process, David Sheffield, chairman of the search subcommittee, said.

"I'm not sure we're going to get the best candidates this time of year," John Gascue, a search committee member, said. "It's the fiscal part of the year. People have already taken jobs."