Kerri Briggs named George W. Bush Institute's first program director
The Dallas Morning News
October 18, 2010
A former Bush official who recently worked in Washington, D.C.'s politically charged education system will become the George W. Bush Institute's first program director Monday.
Kerri Briggs, who was assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education in the Bush administration, is a Texas native who has been in Washington for the last nine years.
After President George W. Bush left office, Briggs was named state superintendent of education for Washington, which gave her limited oversight of district schools. Under Chancellor Michelle Rhee, district schools have undergone a major upheaval in recent years as teachers were evaluated by tough new standards designed to measure their impact on student achievement.
As state superintendent, Briggs oversaw federal grants while Rhee retained significant autonomy over how the campuses were run. Briggs said she looked for common ground with Rhee, who was appointed by a Democratic mayor, and other aggressive reformers.
"I was coming in as a Republican," Briggs said. "Our common point of interest was education reform."
