Florida official tapped to lead Arkansas education agency

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Incoming Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday named a high Florida colleges official as her decide to guide the state’s training company, the newest sign of the course of the Republican’s nascent administration.

Sanders tapped Jacob Oliva, a senior chancellor on the Florida Division of Training, to function secretary of the Arkansas Division of Training. She stated she’ll additionally search to have the State Board of Training appoint Oliva because the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Training.

Sanders touted Oliva’s “confirmed success rising pupil achievement” and stated in an announcement that “we’ll broaden entry to high quality training for each child rising up in our state, empower mother and father, not authorities bureaucrats, and put together college students for the workforce, not authorities dependency.”

The appointment suggests Sanders could emulate in Arkansas the training agenda of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a number one contender of the GOP presidential nomination in 2024. Sanders’ announcement cited Oliva’s work implementing “DeSantis’ parental rights insurance policies and daring training reforms.”

Florida got here below a harsh highlight this yr after the passage of a brand new regulation forbidding classes on sexual orientation and gender id in kindergarten by third grade, in addition to materials that isn’t deemed age-appropriate.

Critics, who name the rule the “Don’t Say Homosexual” regulation, have argued that it marginalizes LGBTQ folks and stated the laws’s imprecise language might stifle classroom discussions. The regulation additionally establishes an enforcement mechanism that invitations mother and father to file lawsuits in opposition to districts over materials deemed inappropriate.

Sanders earlier this month introduced Capt. Mike Hagar, a 26-year veteran of the State Police, as her nominee for secretary of public security. In different latest appointments, Sanders has named Kristi Putnam because the state’s new Division of Human Providers secretary and former Entergy Arkansas CEO Hugh McDonald as Division of Commerce secretary.