Interviews underway for six state Superintendent of Education finalists

The state school board conducted interviews for six state superintendent finalists Thursday.

Gov. Robert Bentley, chairman of the state Board of Education, kicked-off the daylong process shortly before 9 a.m.

“It’s very important that we choose a leader that has in mind improved achievement for our students so they can be prepared to live a quality life, get a job, support themselves and support their families,” said Bentley. “If education doesn’t do that, then we’ve failed.”

The board is interviewing six educators from across the country to replace former superintendent Tommy Bice, who retired this spring after working for four years in the Alabama State Department of Education.

Here’s the list of the six candidates vying to lead Alabama’s public school system:

• Bill Evers: research fellow at Stanford University
• Dee Fowler: superintendent of Madison City Schools
• Craig Pouncey: superintendent of Jefferson County Schools and former deputy state superintendent
• Jeana Ross: secretary of the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education
• Michael Sentance: former Massachusetts Secretary of Education and regional representative to the U.S. Department of Education.
• Janet Womack: superintendent of Florence City Schools

Each candidate spent an hour with the state Board of Education where they were allowed a three-minute introduction, and each board member had five minutes to ask individual questions.

The board will announce their pick for superintendent Aug. 11.