The Kentucky Department of Education has released the names of the five candidates under consideration for commissioner. The list includes one candidate from Kentucky.
- Buddy Berry, superintendent of Eminence Independent Schools in Eminence, Kentucky.
- Kathleen Airhart, deputy commissioner and chief operating officer for the Tennessee Department of Education
- Christopher Koch, interim president of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- Lloyd Martin, chief executive officer for Universal School Solutions, an education consultancy firm
- Stephen Pruitt, senior vice president at Achieve, Inc., an independent, nonprofit education reform organization.
The Kentucky Board of Education will meet Friday and Saturday in Lexington to conduct second interviews with each of the five candidates.
The new commissioner will replace current Commissioner Terry Holliday, who is retiring next week.
The board has selected Associate Commissioner and General Counsel Kevin Brown to serve as interim commissioner starting Sept. 1 until a new commissioner can begin.
