Governor's pick for Secretary of Education seems unconventional - what she brings to the table

Editor's Note: Jason Maulucci is Governor Scott's Press Secretary. An earlier version had an incorrect title.

Vermont's new Secretary of Education starts April 15. The seat, which has been vacant for a year, will be filled by Florida education administrator Zoie Saunders. Saunders' path to the chair is an unconventional one compared to that of her most recent predecessors, but state leadership believe she brings a fresh perspective and a proven track record for improving student outcomes.

As Secretary of Education she will oversee the Agency of Education and a public school system comprised of 50 school districts and supervisory unions serving 84,000 students.

Governor Phil Scott announced Saunders' appointment on March 22, touting her work in Broward County Public Schools − an area that serves northern Miami suburbs and is the sixth largest district in the country, her role as an education officer for the City of Fort Lauderdale, and directing strategy for Charter Schools USA.

Governor: Saunders' fresh perspective will be helpful

The Free Press asked Governor Scott what about Saunders − who has worked in a public school system for only a few months − makes him feel she is capable of a heading a statewide public school system. The Governor's Press Secretary Jason Maulucci responded saying that she has extensive public school experience, that her vast experience in one of the nation's largest school systems is invaluable in this role and she brings a helpful fresh perspective.

The state board of education, which vetted the candidates and gave the governor three names to choose from, said during the press conference that Saunders possessed the traits of a transformative, inclusive and inspirational leader and her experience showed she had a track record of improving outcomes and opportunities for students.

Job details, documents are limited

The Governor's office said Saunders will make $168,355 as Secretary of Education, which is the same for all cabinet secretaries.

The Free Press requested Saunders's employee contract, offer of hire − including any moving expenses and sign-on bonus offered − but was told none of those documents exist. Commissioners and secretaries don't have a contract and serve a term set by Vermont statute, according to Maulucci. Upon reading the statute, however, it doesn't seem to address term limits. He also said the Governor made the offer in person to Saunders and so there was no paperwork. By contrast, many superintendents, principals and teachers have written employee contracts.

The Agency of Education said Saunders would not be granting any more interviews or responses to questions until her start date, however, Saunders addressed the public and the media during the press conference announcing her hire. The Agency of Education planned to reject a request for Saunders' resume stating employee records are exempt from public records requests, however Saunders allowed its release in the public interest.

Saunders' background is different from those who came before

While Saunders has worked in public school-adjacent roles − specifically in her position with the City of Fort Lauderdale which partnered with local schools to provide educational resources to the community − her experience in public school leadership is only three months long. Saunders was hired by Broward County Schools in mid-December, and much of her work during that time that has been covered by the press was in relation to school closures.

By comparison, the two previous secretaries of education worked as teachers, principals and school district administrators or superintendents in Vermont and New Hampshire before taking the job. Dan French was appointed by the Republican governor and was in that role nearly five school years before leaving last spring and Rebecca Holcombe, who was appointed by Democrat Governor Peter Shumlin in 2013, also served five years.

Strategy, partnerships, charter schools - new Secretary has held varied education and non-education leadership roles

What Saunders brings to Vermont is extensive experience in strategy, operations and systems management, creating partnerships and implementing new programs. She has worked in non-profit, for profit and government capacities, and served public, independent and charter schools. Her resume includes a myriad of data points depicting how her influence contributed to growth and success rates and a half dozen awards bestowed upon her or her organization while she was under their employ.

She says a key focus for her is to increase access to resources and opportunities in areas where they didn't exist before.

“I have devoted my career to expanding educational opportunities for underserved communities and believe in the power of education to drive positive community change and economic prosperity,” Saunders said in a statement.

Will Secretary's charter school background mean expansion of school choice in Vermont?

One thing that has been pointed out is Saunders' charter school connection. She led strategy initiatives for Charter Schools USA for seven years − until 2019. The organization was founded by a member who came out of the activist conservative policy group and think tank The Heritage Foundation.

While Vermont is not a charter school state, it does offer school choice in specific scenarios and even boasts the oldest town tuitioning program in the nation − which is a method by which a student's educational tax dollars follow them to a school in another town or district.

Saunders said she has a background in charter schools but also equivalent time spent advocating for improvements within the traditional school system. "So, I come with both perspectives which I think is really valuable as we explore different opportunities," she said. "I think the purpose of education is to help every child meet their fullest potential."

When asked if she would advocate for expanding school choice or establishing a charter school system in Vermont, she said commenting on policy decisions before she's had the time to study their impact in Vermont would be getting ahead of herself and that it is a priority to ensure a very strong base of high quality education in neighborhood schools.

What are Zoie Saunders' priorities as Secretary of Education?

When Zoie Saunders officially takes on the role of Secretary of Education in April, she will be learning from Interim Secretary of Education Heather Bouchey before the new fiscal year starts in July. Governor Scott said the hiring process was protracted because of summer flooding and because of his confidence in Bouchey to keep things running smoothly until they were ready to make a decision.

Secretary Saunders plans to spend her first 90 days going on a listening and learning tour across the state to towns and schools to understand at a local level what people believe is working best and where there are opportunities to improve.

She expects to address issues faced all across the country including declining enrollment, aging facilities, need for support in academic growth and student mental health. She said she hoped to take from what is working elsewhere while understanding that community context matters and stakeholders best understand challenges.

The Governor has pointed out that Vermont spends among the most money per student but academic outcomes are middling. And, during Town Meeting Day a staggering one-third of school budget votes failed in response to property taxes rising by 20% or more. He expects the Legislature will come up with some short term solutions to the education tax formula before the session is out. But, speaking generally, Gov. Scott also said that change takes time.

Saunders said her family has spent a lot of time in Vermont visiting both her sisters and her aunt and they have come to love the state. She believes in the vision for Vermont education that has been presented to her and looks forward to getting starting on a solutions-focused plan. Saunders said her children have attended public school since kindergarten and that she and her husband intend to enroll them in public school when they move to Vermont.

"I am energized and motivated by the Governor's bold vision to make the state of Vermont a national model producing the best educational outcomes in the United States from cradle to career," she said.

Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter @aprildbarton.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: What to know about Vermont's new Secretary of Education Zoie Saunders