JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) — State senators have confirmed Carey Wright as Mississippi’s state superintendent of education.
Senators voted 46-6 for Wright Tuesday after a brief debate.
Opponents say they’re concerned about Wright’s advocacy of Common Core state standards, publicly-funded prekindergarten education and whether her values line up with Mississippi.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Gray Tollison, an Oxford Republican, says Wright brings experience in high-performing school districts and a “no nonsense” approach to improving student achievement.
A former school administrator in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, Wright was named to lead the Mississippi Department of Education in November. The state Board of Education voted to hire Wright after interviewing her and four other candidates.
Wright, the first woman to serve permanently as state superintendent in Mississippi, is making $300,000 a year.
