(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – The Kentucky Board of Education has identified Barbara Erwin, Ed,D., superintendent of Community Unit District 303 in St. Charles, Illinois, as the leading candidate for the position of Kentucky Commissioner of Education.
“The board is very pleased to identify Barbara Erwin as its top candidate,” said Keith Travis, chair of the board. “The three finalists all brought excellent qualities to the table, and we believe that Erwin will carry forth the board’s vision and mission to benefit all of Kentucky’s public school students, parents, teachers and administrators.”
Travis praised the work of the search firm, Ray and Associates of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and of the board’s Commissioner Search Committee.
“The board is most appreciative of the professional services provided by Ray and Associates and of the contributions of the five members of the board who comprised the internal search committee.”
If Erwin is named commissioner of education, she likely will begin her duties on July 1. Base salary for the position has been set at $220,000. The board will consider a motion to ratify a contract during its retreat May 9 and 10 in Bowling Green.
Since 2004, Erwin has served as superintendent of schools for the 15,000-student Community Unit District 303 in St. Charles, Illinois. During her tenure, she created a data warehouse and related training; increased student achievement through a comprehensive, continuous school improvement model using the SMART goals; and managed moderate growth in the district.
From 2000 to 2004, Erwin served as superintendent of the 30,000-student Scottsdale (Arizona) Unified School District. Her responsibilities included managing a $14 million budget shortfall, reorganizing the district’s administration, creating a community process for strategic planning, creating new administrator evaluation instruments and bringing stability to a district that had experienced turmoil.
Erwin served as superintendent of the Allen (Texas) Independent School District from 1994 to 2000 and was named Texas Superintendent of the Year in 1997 and 1998. She managed the district’s rapid growth, led dramatic increases in student performance on state and national tests, helped bring instructional technology to state-of-the-art levels and worked to strengthen curriculum at all grade levels.
Erwin’s other previous positions include adjunct professor at Texas Women’s University and superintendent of the Tipton (Indiana) Community School Corporation.
Her classroom experience includes teaching students with disabilities at the junior high level and serving as a resource diagnostician for special needs students, elementary school principal and Title IV consultant.
Erwin earned a bachelor of science degree in special education from Indiana University; a master’s degree in school administration from Purdue University; and a doctorate in school administration from Indiana University. She has pursued post-doctoral work at Columbia University in New York and at the University of Southern California.
Erwin and her husband, David, currently reside in St. Charles, Illinois, and have two grown sons, Will and Jon.
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