His wife, Mary Shumway, is the state education office's director of career and technical education. Statute states she can continue to work at the state office but her husband will not be allowed to be a part of her work evaluations or pay raises.

Mary Shumway has been at the state education office for 22 years and reports to Brenda Hales, associate state superintendent of student achievement and school success.

"Larry's a great educator, very committed and a very hard worker," Mary Shumway said. "He'll do a great job."

The couple have six children. Shumway calls himself a "semi-fanatical reader." He finished Charles Dickens's "A Tale of Two Cities" the past two nights, since he couldn't sleep.

Shumway earlier served as superintendent of Tooele School District and director of alternative schools and programs for Davis District.

He has taught school in Arizona and Idaho. He was the vice principal at Pine View High School in St. George and principal at North Sevier High School in Salina.

"I've worked in nearly every type of district: rural, suburban, rapidly growing," he said. "It's been valuable to have that perspective."

Shumway, originally from Boise, has a doctorate in education from University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Brigham Young University.

E-mail: astewart@desnews.com