Dear Readers:

When I first met Richard Cate, he was one of three candidates for the position of Commissioner of Vermont’s Department of Education back in 2004. I was part of one of four focus groups brought together by the State Board of Education to "interview" each of the final three candidates. The other two candidates had flashy ideas but Cate was obviously a man who knew how to govern. He came from NY State as the deputy commissioner, where he handled the education budget. 

At the time, I was a homeschool advocate seeking changes in a 15-year-old statute. My one and only question to him at the focus forum was, "Do you believe I have a constitutional right to home school my children?" His response was short and to the point. "Yes, you do."

I had asked the same question of the other two candidates. Their answers were rather lengthy and they never did get around to answering my question. With Cate, I had a man sitting in front of me who supported my parental rights and who could run a state bureaucracy. But what good would it do me if he could not control the bureaucracy? As it turned out, he was more than capable of handling the bureaucracy. 

During my current tenure as the executive director of VBE, I have found Commissioner Cate a willing listener and a subtle administrator. We didn’t always agree. Vermonters for Better Education was on the other side of the argument for universal pre-school. And we’ve wished his support for school choice had moved farther into more vigorous advocacy. 

That said, he faced daunting challenges no matter how good his agenda. Whoever sits in the Commissioner’s seat is often surrounded by adversaries—groups and people who care deeply about education but whose passions for their particular point of view lead, more often than not, to guarded relationships at best, and outright opposition at worst. Nonetheless, decisions were made and these decisions were not always popular. 

Commissioner Cate was good at navigating these troubled waters. Early in his tenure he reconfigured the department ensuring that the department spoke with one voice reflecting the State Board and Commissioner’s views. 

He was also very careful in how he administered the obligations of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Realizing what a lightning rod this law was for those on both the left and right, he avoided flashpoint language and tried to work with schools needing improvement in a positive, constructive way. This didn’t always earn him praise, but it did lessen the concerns about this bipartisan legislation.

He brought ideas to the table and tried to engage Vermonters in the discussions. Education governance and a vision for the Transformation of Education in Vermont were two such conversations. Education governance discussions are often really about creating larger school districts. There are many on both sides of the political aisle who support this concept. This issue is far from dead as Vermonters look for ways to reduce education costs, but it’s a path filled with risk as well as opportunity. Commissioner Cate was a valuable player in these challenging conversations as well as those surrounding the transformation of education to fit the needs of kids in the 21st century. 

We wish Commissioner Cate well in his new position at the University of Vermont. UVM is gaining a well-tested administrator. We have no doubt he’ll contribute to the university’s progress.

This past legislative session brought again to the forefront the discussion on changing the way the state chooses a Commissioner of Education. Currently, the State Board makes that appointment. The legislature was considering a bill that would have abolished the Board and allowed the governor to appoint the Commissioner. VBE supported the concept of the governor appointing the commissioner but not the idea of abolishing the SBE. We saw a way of retaining the citizen-member State Board with the Commissioner as its chair. The debate over that bill, however, was sometimes unpleasant. 

With a very real possibility for similar legislation in the future and with the acceptance of Commissioner Cate’s resignation, the SBE now faces another job search for a new Commissioner. It’s not an easy task. Vermont is a small state with limited resources, which already narrows the pool of possible applicants. VBE would like to offer the following suggestions for considerations when choosing a new Commissioner:

Look for a strong, but good-natured, advocate: As noted above, whoever sits in the Commissioner’s chair faces passionate (and often well-funded) adversaries every day. The Commissioner has to believe wholeheartedly in the State Board’s agenda and be willing to go beyond support into passionate—but cheerful—advocacy. 

Look for a realist: Whoever enters the education debate in Vermont has to do so with his/her eyes open. For example, the teachers union has powerful allies in the legislature and an active campaign and lobbying structure. If the union’s leadership disagrees with the Commissioner, s/he will face vigorous and well-funded opposition.

Look for an outsider who understands education: Don’t limit yourself to education professionals when searching for the right person. The Commissioner needs to be able to understand what good teaching is, but doesn’t need to have been a teacher. The Commissioner needs to understand the challenges faced by a superintendent, but doesn’t have to have led a school him/herself. In fact, a fresh, outside perspective coupled with a keen understanding of education issues is just what the state needs.

Look for a doer, as well as a communicator: Many stakeholders want a place at the table in education discussions in the state –the VTNEA, the VSBA, the VSA, the VPA and even VBE. A good Commissioner will know how to work with these groups civilly while at the same time recognizing that the ultimate goal isn’t how everyone feels about the negotiation but whether or not something good is accomplished for Vermont students at the end of the discussion.

Look for someone who understands the big goal of education: This seems simple enough but it’s at the heart of any good education policy-making. What is the ultimate goal of publicly-funded education? Is it merely to provide workers for the state’s businesses? That makes business the client. Or is it to also provide productive, wise citizens for society? 

Look for a "no excuses" leader: There are lists and lists of reasons why schools fail to educate all their students in minimal gateway skills. Make sure Vermont hires a Commissioner who looks beyond those reasons to change the results. There is no excuse for failing to adequately teach our students to read, write, and use numbers, no matter what their circumstances or demographics.

Is it an impossible task to find someone who fits this bill? For the sake of Vermont’s students, I hope not.
 

Sincerely,

Retta Dunlap
Executive Director
Vermonters for Better Education
 

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The VERMONT EDUCATION REPORT is published by Vermonters for Better Education PO Box 255, Woodbury, VT 05681 - 802-472-5491. The Vermont Education Report may be reprinted with the editor's permission. For more information contact: VBE@comcast.net or visit us on the web: http://www.schoolreport.com

VERMONTERS FOR BETTER EDUCATION is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to enlist parents and the public at large in achieving quality educational opportunities for all the children of Vermont by monitoring the state of education in Vermont; promoting the value of educational freedoms for all parents; and giving parents the evaluative tools with which to identify excellence.

Retta Dunlap, executive director
VBE@comcast.net