State picks education deputy

Educators Rich Kendell and Darrell White are playing musical jobs again.

White, who succeeded Kendell as Davis superintendent, then worked with him as a consultant on high-tech charter schools, is poised to replace Kendell in the governor's office.

White, a teacher, principal, superintendent and education consultant of 44 years, on Monday was named Gov. Mike Leavitt's education deputy.

Kendell is moving on as commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education. He could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

White starts his new job next week.

"I'm excited," the 1999 Utah Superintendent of the Year said. "There are some very exciting things going on in public education and higher education right now. It will be fun to be a part of it."

White, who in 2002 was named National Administrator of the Year by the National Association for Gifted Children, was "hand-picked" by Leavitt and Lt. Gov. Olene Walker, who will take the gubernatorial reins if the U.S. Senate confirms Leavitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency today.

"This is someone both of them know very well," governor's spokeswoman Natalie Gochnour said. When asked about the process, she said, Leavitt responded, "This was an 11-year interview for me." The lieutenant governor added, "and a 25-year interview for me."

White, who has a doctorate degree in education, has experience in public and higher education and rural and urban Utah.

He began his career in Weber School District in 1959 where he taught and eventually became principal of Weber and Roy high schools. He worked a short time as educational services coordinator at the Utah State Office of Education before becoming a superintendent in 1978. Since, he has led the Sevier, North Summit, Box Elder and Davis school districts.

White also has worked as executive director of the Utah School Boards and Utah School Superintendents associations. For the past year or so, he has been a consultant on the New Century High Schools, the high-tech charter schools supported by the Governor's Office and the billion-dollar Bill Gates foundation.

"He has had a great deal of experience in education. He has a good mind for the issues in education that are confronting us," superintendents association executive director Gary Cameron said.

White also has taught at Utah State University, the University of Utah, the University of Hawaii and BYU Hawaii, and served as chairman of the higher education strategic planning task force in 1995 and on USU's College of Education advisory council.

"He's always been viewed as a friend of higher education," said Cecelia Foxley, outgoing higher education commissioner. "Even when he was in a superintendent's role, we saw that. We think he'll do a fine job."