McKenzie Snow nomination squeaks by for Iowa Department of Education director
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The Iowa Senate has voted to confirm McKenzie Snow as director of the Iowa Department of Education, installing Gov. Kim Reynolds' pick to lead the agency over objections from Democrats.
Snow's confirmation comes days after Reynolds signed a wide-ranging law overhauling Iowa's Area Education Agencies and giving the state more oversight over special education programs with the creation of a new Division of Special Education.
The Senate voted 34-15 to confirm Snow, with every Republican in favor and every Democrat opposed.
Nominees require the support of two-thirds of the Senate, or 34 votes, to be confirmed.
Reynolds used her remarks while signing the AEA overhaul into law as an opportunity to praise Snow, saying she is "so excited about the future of education with you at the helm."
"Director Snow, you are going to be a tremendous leader," Reynolds said, leading the invited guests at the ceremony in round of applause.
Democrats criticize McKenzie Snow for lack of experience
Democrats on Tuesday criticized Snow for her lack of experience, saying she has never held a teaching license in the United States.
"Director Snow is not eligible to be hired for the educational positions in our school districts," said Sen. Molly Donahue, D-Cedar Rapids, a teacher. "She is not eligible to be hired for a position at an AEA that she will be overseeing. She cannot be a principal. She cannot be a superintendent. She cannot be a chief executive officer of the AEAs with her qualifications."
Sen. Jeff Taylor, R-Sioux Center, said "if the Legislature had wanted to require teaching experience or a teacher license" as a requirement to hold the position, "they would have said so."
"We heard a few minutes ago a listing of different roles: teacher, principal, superintendent, AEA administrator. And it was stated that McKenzie Snow does not qualify for any of those roles," he said. "That may be, but she’s not applying for any of those roles."
Iowa education system undergoing widespread changes as GOP policies take effect
Snow started on the job last June, becoming Iowa's third Department of Education director in a year. She succeeded Chad Aldis, who suddenly resigned four months after replacing Ann Lebo for "family reasons."
She took the reins of the department as Iowa began implementing a new program providing families with taxpayer-funded education savings accounts to pay private school costs.
More: Kim Reynolds' Iowa education director faces heated criticism as confirmation moves forward
Lawmakers have also passed a range of other education-related laws, including a 2023 measure that restricts teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through sixth grade and requiring schools to remove books with sex acts. Those provisions are currently blocked in court as a legal challenge is decided.
Snow has previously worked at state education departments in New Hampshire and Virginia, where she served as a deputy director, as well as for the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a think tank founded by Republican Jeb Bush.
She worked in the U.S. Department of Education under the Trump administration, spearheading a program that would have created tax credits for those who donate to organizations providing private school scholarships.
She holds a bachelor's degree in political science and no advanced degrees. She has taught remedial courses at the University of the Free State in South Africa.
Donahue said Snow has talents when it comes to education policy but said that's a different skill set than the one needed to lead the Department of Education.
"Our education system does not need policy innovators but experienced educational leaders who can relate to, understand and directly address the needs of our teachers and our students," she said.
Republicans said Democrats' criticism of Snow comes from their opposition to the education policies that Reynolds and legislative Republicans have passed.
"Let’s just look at the bottom line here," said Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale. "The reason why her name is up there and why you are all upset about her is because of what we’ve done for education reform and what we’ve done to allow our parents to decide what the best educational opportunity is."
More: New Iowa law redirects millions for AEAs, teacher pay. Where the money will go:
Kelly Garcia reconfirmed for new term as Health and Human Services director
Senators also voted 48-1 to reconfirm Kelly Garcia as director of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Reynolds originally appointed Garcia in 2019 as director of the Department of Human Services. She was confirmed unanimously by the Senate in 2020 and has since overseen a merger with the Iowa Department of Public Health to create the new HHS Department.
Last year, HHS absorbed more government agencies as part of a government reorganization plan Reynolds signed into law.
Garcia is in the process of shepherding through a reorganization of Iowa's mental health and substance use regions into a new behavioral health system. Lawmakers are expected to send a bill with the changes to Reynolds soon.
More: Nervous advocates worry that Iowa's mental health overhaul could leave some without care
Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, cast the lone vote against Garcia's confirmation.
Senate confirms other members of Reynolds' cabinet
The Senate also voted Tuesday to confirm or reconfirm several other members of Reynolds' cabinet and other appointees for new terms in their roles. Those votes included:
James Johnson as the superintendent of banking (49-0).
Beth Skinner as director of the Department of Corrections (46-3).
Gregory Samorajski as CEO of the Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (49-0).
Dustin Graber to the State Judicial Nominating Commission (49-0).
Carolyn (Renee) Schulte as chair of the Iowa Board of Parole (49-0).
Catherine Lucas as a member of the Public Employment Relations Board (35-14).
Scott Marler as director of the Department of Transportation (49-0).
Douglas Hoisington to the Iowa Board of Medicine (34-15).
Emily Wharton as director of the Department for the Blind (49-0).
Des Moines Register reporter Galen Bacharier contributed reporting.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Senate confirms McKenzie Snow as Department of Education director
