South Carolina's "Gubamint Edukashun Leedr"

Updated 18 May 2010!  Updated again on 1 July.  Updated one final time on 27 October

27 October - My final thoughts for Nov 2nd on the SC Sooperintendent of Edumicashun race:

Mick Zais is the only real choice; he's a proven leader with demonstrated success at turning a failing educational institution (Newberry College) around. He has taught in the classroom (West Point) and more importantly, he managed large staffs (As a BG and at ...Newberry) with competing agendas. He is a retired Brigadier General and holds a PhD in Social Psychology. You won't see “Zais for the next office” signs appear shortly after he wins like you did with Rex and Tennebaum. You won’t see the political cronyism that has marked our last 12 years – Zais isn’t part of that system. He has a reputation for being somewhat ruthless in dealing with problems - something we've lacked here in "Good Ol #49"*.

His opponent, Frank Holleman, represents more of the “educrat” nonsense that we've suffered from for the last 12 years. His only executive education experience was as Dick "the edumicashun goobenor" Riley's chief of staff while he was screwing up education at the national level. The DOE was under constant criticism for Holleman’s poor management while he was there. He's been on a lot of committees and such but he has no real leadership experience as the top man of a major institution.

* For my out of state friends, “good ol #49“, is a reference to our perennial 49th place in "quality of education measures", we also use “thank God for Mississippi” as a suitable alternative…

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1 July - Folks, this one is real simple: 
If you believe that Inez Tenenbaum and Jim Rex have done a good job for South Carolina as the Superintendent of Education, vote for Frank Holleman. 

If you think it is time for a change, vote for Mick Zais.

If you're not sure, read the rest of this blog and then do your own research. 

Jim Rex has been an abysmal failure.  He started running for governor almost as soon as he was elected to the superintendent job.  Inez did almost exactly the same thing but wisely backed out when she realized she hadn't a prayer of winning.  All indications are that Mr. Holleman is cut from the same mold as Rex and Tenenbaum (and his onetime boss Dick Riley).  He's been the chief of staff and in other bureaucratic flunky positions but he's never been the boss.  This appears to be his foray into elective politics as "the candidate".  If he wins, you can expect to see "Holleman for (fill in next elective office)" signs almost as soon as the votes are counted. Holleman has NO experience running any educational organization, he has tons of experience sitting at the right hand of the bureaucrat in charge.

Dr. Mick Zais on the other hand is a retired brigadier general and the retiring head of Newberry College.  He has taught in the classroom, he took a failing private college and turned it around, doubling the enrollment and endowment while holding tuition costs down.  He's not afraid to say no or to cut failing programs or staff.

Mick Zais is exactly what we need to begin reshaping the educational system in South Carolina. It's time for a change; Mick Zais is that change agent.

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Original Post - It’s Saturday here in the desert – for once it’s quiet so I thought I’d lay out your choices for the SC Superintendent of Education. SC spends roughly $12,000 per student (we're in the top 20 nationally on expenditures per pupil). Depending on whose numbers you trust, something like 45% of that is actually spent on instruction. That's criminal. Utah spends roughly $7,000 per pupil and wears us out on all measures of performance.

Around half of all funds allocated for schools are spent on administration. It is time to cut the bureaucracy and get the bucks into the classroom. Lexington county has five school districts for its 40,000 students – by comparison, Charlotte, NC has one district for its 160,000 students.  I’m not advocating the monstrosity Char-Meck has created but five districts for 40,000 students?  I’m in favor of local control but that may be just a little too local.

Republicans

Kelly Payne
Garnett Spy has covered her fairly well, High School Social Studies Teacher, BA PolySci and M.Ed USC. Published experience is limited to teaching High School. Managerial/executive experience unreported -apparently extensive work with student organizations. Earned Wal-Mart’s Teacher of the Year Award for Lexington/Richland School District 5. Started Alive at 25 program to reduce teen highway fatalities, earned SC National Safety Council's Leadership award for the program.

Mick Zais WON THE PRIMARY AND THE RUNOFF
President of Newberry College, BS Engineering USMA, Masters & PhD Social Psychology, Univ of WA. Experience, retired Army Brigadier General. Lead organizations to the Brigade level (6,000 personnel), served on executive staffs at all levels. Taught organizational behavior and leadership at USMA. President of Newberry since 2000, 2008-09 Newberry named in US News and World Reports America’s Best Colleges. When he started, Newberry was in dire straits, underfunded and losing students – since his tenure began, the endowment has doubled, enrollment has doubled and they have not raised tuition.

Brent Nelsen HAS ENDORSED MICK ZAIS
Was Political Science Department Chair at Furman, PolSci Wheaton College, PhD Univ of WI Madison. Executive/Managerial experience: staff of 21, student population of 270, president of the South Carolina Political Science Association and past president of Christians in Political Science. Teaches Political Science at Furman. On-camera political analyst for WYFF Channel 4. Published author.

Elizabeth Moffly FINISHED SECOND IN THE PRIMARY AND LOST THE RUNOFF
Owner of several small businesses in the low country, Unknown, attended Queens College and College of Chas. Executive/managerial experience: Owner Moffly Construction and other businesses. School Choice Consultant.


Gary Burgess
Researcher, Burgess Research Action Group BA Wofford, M.Ed, Ed.S. Converse, Ed.D USC. Taught High school, served as a principal, professor at Converse and the Citadel, Superintendent Anderson County Schools.

Glen Price (Just Added)
Band Director at Lugoff Elgin High School, BA from ECU.  Taught band for his entire career apparently

Democrats
Frank Holleman EASILY WON THE PRIMARY
SC Attorney Wyche group, BA Furman, JD Harvard, Masters London School of Econ and Pol Sci. Executive/Managerial experience: Chief of staff and Deputy Secretary US Dept of Education for Dick Riley.  No classroom experience. Chairs the Alliance for Quality Education, a nonprofit education reform initiative.

Tommy Thompson  (Just Added)
Chair, Department of Education as SCSU, BA, MEd and PhD from UI.  Staff of about 40, 600 students.  Tremendous amount of educational administrative experience from HS Teacher to College Dean. No political experience.

Here’s my take on this crowd:


Holleman is in it for political experience – he’s a democrat in the Riley vein. Riley's tenure 20 years ago is still part of what’s wrong with schools in SC. Think "educrat" - we can not afford more money, more programs and more failure. He has a lot of campaign money compared to the rest. Hollerman is probably the man to beat but we don't need this "more of the same crap" candidate.

Nelsen is in it for the political experience. You can expect to see him running for something from now on. Very little money, struggles to raise any. No real agenda except to win elective office.

Burgess can’t raise the money to be successful has significant baggage related to a morals charge in Anderson and allegations of abuse of staff. The shame of it is that he has the education and experience to be successful - however, character counts.

Moffly is a curiosity, who ever heard of her? No meaningful education experience, had $350 in her campaign fund last time I checked.

Payne just doesn’t have the executive experience, has some potential baggage regarding her relation with Richard Eckstrom. Struggling to raise money. Supported by people who think we need a teacher to run the Department of Education - most of them don't realize the Rex was a teacher and he's been an unmitigated disaster. We're not hiring a "state teacher", we're hiring a "director of instruction", someone who has run an educational institution well (see Mick Zais)

Zais has been alleged to be ruthless in dealing with staff and faculty, vast experience at all levels of management and significant experience education – his biggest weakness is that he has not worked in the K12 “industry” – that may be a benefit though depending on your perspective. Has some money but not doing great at fund raising. Turned Newberry around. To old to be looking for a political career launching pad. My choice for the record.

The Last Two

Price is a High School Band Teacher, albeit a very good one.  Maybe he ought to just stick to that.

Thompson is your candidate if you must vote Democrat, he has the real experience that will allow him to be successful.  His self stated reason for wanting the job "...I want to be the State's top teacher..." strikes me as a little niave.