In naming Gerard Robinson as Florida’s next education commissioner, the State Board of Education this week turned to someone with a compelling background --- and an affinity for school-choice programs.

The Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday to appoint Robinson, who serves as secretary of education in Virginia. He will replace Eric Smith, who was pushed out of the commissioner’s job by Gov. Rick Scott.

Scott supported Robinson’s hiring in behind-the-scenes discussions with board members. Robinson, who backs initiatives such as vouchers and charter schools, was selected over four other finalists.

The governor’s office, meanwhile, went through a shakeup of its own this week. Scott’s chief of staff, Mike Prendergast, and another top strategist, Mary Anne Carter, announced they would leave their posts.

Scott turned Friday to an old Tallahassee hand, Steve MacNamara, to take over as chief of staff. MacNamara most recently has served as chief of staff to Senate President Mike Haridopolos and also worked as chief of staff to former House Speaker John Thrasher.

EDUCATION CHANGES:

Robinson will face a new bureaucratic world when he takes over as education commissioner. In Virginia, he advises the governor on education policy and oversees a staff of four; in Florida, he will oversee nearly 1,000 employees.

But Robinson has overcome challenges in the past. He was the first person in his family to go to college --- and almost didn’t even go --- before eventually earning a master’s degree at Harvard.

"Mr. Robinson's personal story is pretty compelling and it's a good example for many other students or children that are in our education system that can see a role model in Mr. Robinson," said State Board of Education Vice Chair Roberto Martinez. "I wasn't exactly a great student myself when I was growing up."

Robinson’s support for school choice aligns him with Scott and Republican legislative leaders, who again this year approved expansions of such programs. During an interview with the board Monday, Robinson stressed his interest in improving Florida’s graduation rates and also acknowledged that choice programs are not a “silver bullet.’’

Along with the change at the top of the K-12 system, Florida’s higher-education system also drew attention this week because of 15 percent tuition increases at state universities.

The Board of Governors approved hitting undergraduate students with 15 percent increases for the third year in a row. University presidents argued for the increases, saying they are needed to offset cuts in state funding and to help prevent faculty layoffs, increased class sizes and shuttered programs.

University of Florida President Bernie Machen expressed frustration that he has not been allowed to increase tuition beyond 15 percent.
"This is not complicated; if you want us to move up in national rankings, we have to be able to hire more world-class faculty and it takes dollars," Machen said. "I've said it to the Legislature and I've said it to you and it's not going anywhere."

SCOTT’S WORLD:

When Scott appointed Prendergast as chief of staff and Carter as a top aide, he lived up to his reputation for being a Tallahassee outsider. After all, Prendergast is a retired Army colonel, and Carter is a political operative who lives in Tennessee.

But with his poll numbers showing voter dissatisfaction, Scott turned to Capitol veteran MacNamara to run many of the day-to-day affairs of the administration.

"I think something needed to be done," said Dan Smith, a political science professor at the University of Florida. "Governor Scott has had difficulty with his message."

But a Scott attempt to take a victory lap on one of his priorities -- property tax cuts -- drew flak this week.