Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas wrote a letter to the President of the State Board of Education, Greg Miller and to the Vice President, Reginald Ballantyne recommending two names to replace Christine Thompson, outgoing Executive Director.
Douglas recommended Aiden Fleming, currently a Deputy Associate Superintendent at the Arizona Department of Education who formerly was Director for the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program; and Nickie Kelley, currently aide to Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio and formerly served a U.S. Congressman, the National Center for Public Research and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).
The Superintendent wrote a detailed letter to Miller and Ballantyne and notice was also provided to each of the SBE members. In the detailed letter she specifically requested this be placed as an item on the very next SBE agenda so that the Board can have a highly qualified staff member to continue their work without interruption.
Thompson and her deputy director, Sabrina Vazquez were fired by Douglas, citing the creation of a hostile work environment by the two. Governor Doug Ducey then ordered the two back to work, which prompted a lawsuit by Douglas over who controlled the State Board of Education staff.
The State Board of Education is created by the Arizona Constitution and charged with the responsibility of regulating the conduct of the public school system.
The Board is composed of the following eleven members: the superintendent of public instruction, the president of a state university or state college, four lay members, a president or chancellor of a community college district, a person who is an owner or administrator of a charter school, a superintendent of a high school district, a classroom teacher and a county school superintendent. Each member, other than the superintendent of public instruction, is appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate.
Education activists are considering an initiative to change the Board to an elected body.