The U.S. Department of Education has decided to eliminate certain regional jobs, dashing the hopes of several Coloradans angling to be named director or deputy director.
“These political appointees have not had substantial policy or administrative functions,” thus the appointees “have not been able to provide meaningful guidance,” according to a memo announcing the job eliminations.
The Education Department operates 10 regional offices.
Among those who had sought the regional director’s position was state Rep. Karen Middleton, an Aurora Democrat and former member of the State Board of Education.
“I think under the Bush administration, those appointees had very little latitude in what they were doing,” Middleton said. “But I was expecting that (the Obama administration) would better use those positions, not eliminate them.”
Republican Pat Chlouber, who held the regional education post during most of President George W. Bush’s two terms, said she believes the job is “important” and “worthwhile.”
“We didn’t set policy. Our goal and mission was to carry the message of the president and the secretary,” she said.
“During my tenure, it was No Child Left Behind,” she said, referring to the 2001 federal law increasing the standards of accountability for states, school districts and schools.
The Education Department expects to save $2 million by eliminating the regional administrator and deputy regional administrator jobs.
But not all agencies are axing regional or statewide political posts. Coloradans are still in line for regional or statewide jobs in other departments, including Housing and Urban Development and emergency management.
Typically, regional or statewide administrative jobs are filled after a regime change in the White House, particularly if the new president and the predecessor are from different parties.
The jobs are considered plum political posts, usually paying six figures and offering job security for four to eight years.
After President Barack Obama’s election, some applicants seeking political appointments forwarded their resumes to Colorado’s Democratic congressional members, who reviewed them and offered recommendations to the White House.
Those recommended for the Education regional job were: Middleton; Gully Stanford, a former member of the state board; former state Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, who led the Senate Education Committee; former Denver City Councilwoman Happy Haynes, who has worked for Mayor John Hickenlooper and Denver Public Schools; and William Zitterkopf, former superintendent of the Cheyenne Wells school district .
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327 or lbartels@denverpost.com
