Copper River School District Superintendent Michael Johnson has been named Alaska’s new education commissioner.
The Juneau Empire reports that the state school board confirmed Tuesday the Johnson will start in the new position on July 1. The position became open earlier this year when Commissioner Mike Hanley stepped down.
Johnson, who oversees a rural school district with fewer than 500 students, was selected over the only other finalist for the job Steward McDonald of the Kodiak Island Borough School District.
Former commissioner Hanley left the position after the failure of the Alaska Measures of Progress standardized test, which he created. Johnson will now be tasked with creating a replacement test by spring and pursuing a federal waiver for tests canceled this year