Dive Summary:
- Florida Education Commissioner Gerald Robinson unexpectedly announced his resignation on Tuesday, effective Aug. 31, saying distance from his family in Virginia created too much difficulty for him to continue.
- Robinson's wife and two daughters originally planned to relocate to Florida with him when he was given the position one year ago, but his wife, a University of Richmond law professor, could not land a comparable job in Florida and Robinson has been commuting back and forth since.
- Florida State Board of Education Chairman Kathleen Shanahan said the state board would conduct a national search for a new commissioner, and that she did not believe recent criticism of the state's school accountability system had any influence on Robinson's decision.
From the article:
Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson resigned unexpectedly Tuesday, saying that "living far away from my family" was too much of a challenge to continue as Florida's schools chief. Robinson's departure is effective Aug. 31, according to letters he sent to Gov. Rick Scott and Kathleen Shanahan, chairman of the State Board of Education. ...
