Font ResizeSANTA FE - Secretary of Education designate Hanna Skandera won't be confirmed before the end of this year's legislative session - though that may have nothing to do with questions about her qualifications.
Sen. Linda M. Lopez, D-Bernalillo, chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee, which holds confirmation hearings for appointees, left the session late last week to tend to her ailing mother, who died over the weekend. According to the vice-chairman of that committee, Sen. George Munoz, D-Gallup, Lopez wanted to be present for Skandera's confirmation hearing.
"I don't think it's a reflection on anyone's qualifications or ability to serve," he said Thursday. "Sen. Lopez wanted to be here for it."
Scott Darnell, spokesman for Gov. Susana Martinez, confirmed via e-mail Thursday that, "The indication we have been given is that her confirmation hearing will not be held this session, despite the fact that she was named in December and provided all necessary materials to the Rules Committee very early in the session."
Skandera is one of four cabinet members who will not be confirmed before the legislative session ends Saturday. The others are John Barela, Economic Development Department; John Bemis, Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources; and Retta Ward, Aging and Long-Term Services.
Both Munoz and Darnell said Skandera will continue to serve as secretary designate. She and the other appointees could be confirmed during either a special session or during next year's
Last month Sen. Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, a member of the Rules Committee, questioned Skandera's qualifications, noting that the state's Constitution requires the secretary to be a "qualified, experienced educator."
Though Skandera is credited with helping to spearhead Florida's broad-based educational reform model under Gov. Jeb Bush (she served as his deputy commissioner of education from 2005-2007), she has never worked as a teacher or principal.
At the time of Sanchez's comments, Darnell told the press that the Legislature has often considered educators to include administrators, noting that Skandera "has played a direct role in crafting education policy as well as in classroom instruction."
Sanchez could not be reached for comment Thursday.
During the session, Skandera has vigorously pushed three reform movements through the Legislature: a social promotion bill that would retain third-graders who cannot read at a proficient level; a school-grading system that would assign schools an A-F label; and a new plan to evaluate teachers and reward those whose students excel.
All three bills could be passed by the Legislature before the session is over.
Contact Robert Nott at (505) 986-3021 or rnott@sfnewmexican.com.
