Michael Sentance
Michael Sentance is a former Alabama superintendent of education. He was appointed to the position by the Alabama Board of Education on August 11, 2016, to replace former Superintendent Tommy Bice, who retired to pursue a career in the private sector. Sentance took over for Philip Cleveland, who had been serving as the interim superintendent since April 14, 2016.[1] Sentance resigned on September 13, 2017.[2]
Sentance previously served as the Massachusetts secretary of education from 1991-1996.[3]
Biography
Sentance served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in a variety of capacities between 1980 and 2001. An attorney by training, he served as general counsel to former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Thomas O'Neill III and as an assistant attorney general under former Attorney General James Shannon.
In January 1991, he began working for former Governor William Weld as director of legislative relations. A few months later, Gov. Weld appointed Sentance to be the Massachusetts secretary of education. Sentance remained in this position until 1996, when he became a senior education advisor to Gov. Weld and later Gov. Paul Cellucci.[3]
After Gov. Cellucci left office in 2001, Sentance served as a regional representative for the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of New England. He remained in this position for the duration of the Bush administration.[3]
From 2011 until his appointment as Alabama superintendent of education, Sentance worked as a private education consultant. He also applied for a number of state superintendent jobs, including Kentucky commissioner of education (2009), Nevada superintendent of public instruction (2013), Nebraska commissioner of education (2013), and Ohio superintendent of public instruction (2016), but was passed over for other candidates.[4]
Education
- A.B. in American studies, Georgetown University (1973)
- J.D., Duquesne University School of Law (1976)
- L.L.M. in taxation, Boston University School of Law (1982)[3]
Political career
Alabama Superintendent of Education (2016 - 2017)
Sentance was appointed Alabama superintendent of education by the Alabama Board of Education on August 11, 2016. He was selected out of six finalists considered by the Board. During the first round of voting, Sentance tied with Craig Pouncey, superintendent of Jefferson County schools in Alabama. During the second round of voting, Gov. Robert Bentley switched his vote from a third candidate to Sentance, giving Sentance a majority.
In explaining his vote, Gov. Bentley pointed to Sentance's tenure as Massachusetts secretary of education:
| “ | "Mr. Sentance, I think, brings something unique to the state. Massachusetts is the number one state in the country in education. Test scores show that. We're not number one, obviously. But we would like to be... Some changes are going to be made and they have to be made, because we've got to give every child in the state of Alabama the same opportunity as the children in Massachusetts have, or any other state in the country. We believe that Alabama children are just as smart, they can do the same thing, as every other child in the United States can do.[1][5] | ” |
Sentance resigned on September 13, 2017.[2]
Criticism over appointment
Some questioned whether Sentance, a longtime Massachusetts resident, was the best person to deal with Alabama's education system. Yvette Richardson, vice president of the Board of Education, voted for Pouncey, and expressed concern over Sentance's appointment:
| “ | It's obvious that [Sentance has] done good work in Massachusetts relative to testing, relative to teacher preparation, relative to just reforming education all around, and perhaps that is something that he will be able to do here. But I just felt knowing the needs that we have in the state, it will take a person at least six months to a year to actually learn what's going on. And I felt it would have been better if we had gotten someone from the state of Alabama.[1][5] | ” |
Craig Pouncey, Sentance's chief rival in the selection process, was more blunt:
| “ | I'd like to see Mr. Sentance find the dirt roads of Alabama, the kids that don't have anybody to speak for them, because it's a whole different world than Massachusetts.[1][5] | ” |
However, Pouncey ultimately expressed hope that Sentance would be able to work with the Board of Education to bring "fresh ideas" to the state.[1]
About the office
The Alabama Superintendent of Education is a state executive position in the Alabama government. The superintendent is the chief executive officer of the state Department of Education and exercises "general control and supervision over the public schools of the state."[6]
Massachusetts Secretary of Education (1991-1996)
Sentance served as Massachusetts secretary of education under then-Gov. William Weld.[3]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Michael Sentance Alabama Education. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Alabama | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
- Alabama Department of Education
- Sentance's LinkedIn Profile
- Sentance's application for superintendent
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 [www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/08/state_school_board_to_name_new.html AL.com, Mike Cason, "State school board names new Alabama schools superintendent," accessed August 11, 2016]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 WHNT News, "State Superintendent Michael Sentance has submitted his resignation," September 13, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 LinkedIn, "Michael Sentance," accessed August 11, 2016
- ↑ Montgomery Advertiser, Brian Lyman, "Michael Sentance named Alabama state superintendent," accessed August 11, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Section 16-3-11," accessed May 24, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Philip Cleveland (interim) Tommy Bice |
Alabama Superintendent of Education 2016 - 2017 |
Succeeded by Ed Richardson |
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