Agency Leadership

Randy I. Dorn
superintendent@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6004

Randy Dorn, Washington state’s 15th superintendent of public instruction, supports the state’s 295 school districts and nine educational service districts. Together they administer basic education programs and implement education reform to the more than one million students in the state. Superintendent Dorn:

• Distributes millions of dollars in state and federal money to districts.
• Works with districts to ensure school buildings and buses are safe.
• Creates statewide learning standards.
• Monitors the teacher certification process, and provides professional development for teachers.
• Oversees recommendations for textbooks and classroom materials.
• Oversees an assessment system that monitors how students are learning the statewide standards.

As head of OSPI, Superintendent Dorn also directs an agency of about 400 employees.

Ken Kanikeberg, Chief of Staff
ken.kanikeberg@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6115

The Chief of Staff oversees internal agency operations and external agency programs; he also provides leadership and resources for improving curriculum, instruction, and assessment to support districts in implementing the four learning goals, so all students develop skills necessary for their future. The Chief of Staff:

• Directs the administration of agency operations.
• Manages the development, administration, and evaluation of agency policies and procedures that assist staff in operations of the agency.
• Oversees all divisions within the agency and directs oversight of Financial Resources, Governmental Relations, and Human Resources.
• Works with staff to provide necessary leadership and resources to allow them to work to improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
• Develops, implements, and oversees key projects and programs on behalf of the Superintendent.

Robert Harkins, Deputy Superintendent
Communications and External Relations
robert.harkins@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6264

The Deputy Superintendent for Communications and External Relations oversees internal and external communications, such as media, Web communications, and community outreach programs. He also manages teacher certification, professional education, and internal agency services. Harkins brings more than 20 years of organizational and strategic communications leadership to the Executive Leadership team. As Deputy Superintendent, he:

• Ensures quality control over OSPI communications and publications.
• Serves as the primary liaison for Superintendent Dorn to educational stakeholders outside of the K-12 system including parent and student groups, communities of color and immigrant groups, and education advocacy organizations.
• Leads the OSPI Equity Division, OSPI’s civil rights office.
• Oversees OSPI’s customer service functions.

Alan Burke, Deputy Superintendent
K-12 Education
alan.burke@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6343

The Deputy Superintendent for K-12 Education has supervising responsibility for Teaching and Learning, Assessment and Student Information, Career and College Readiness, District and School Improvement and Accountability, Special Programs and Federal Accountability, and Student Support. The Deputy Superintendent:

• Represents the Superintendent in K-12 outreach efforts.
• Coordinates agency responses to inquiries about K-12 issues.
• Supervises administrators who have direct responsibility for K-12 operations.
• Serves as a member of the OSPI Executive Leadership Team.

John Aultman, Assistant Superintendent
Governmental Relations
john.aultman@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6020

Governmental Relations works at the direction of the Superintendent in all matters relating to legislation affecting K-12 education at the state level. Governmental Relations:

• Coordinates Superintendent Dorn's legislative and budget program.
• Formulates legislative proposals.
• Drafts bills.
• Provides testimony before the state Legislature.
• Responds directly to legislators/staff, educational associations and other state officials.

Robert Butts, Assistant Superintendent
Public Policy and Planning
bob.butts@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-0420

The Division of Public Policy and Planning is responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of Superintendent Dorn’s major policy initiatives. In doing so, the division:

• Works closely with parents, educators, higher education, foundations, and other governmental organizations.
• Coordinates OSPI’s rule-making process and the development of OSPI’s strategic plan.

Edie Harding, Executive Director
State Board of Education
edie.harding@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6027

The Washington State Board of Education’s role in the K-12 system is to lead the development of state policy, provide system oversight, and advocate for student success. The Board is comprised of 16 members, and is supported by a staff of six. The Board:

• Ensures that all children in Washington receive an equitable and excellent education through a continuous system of improvement for schools and districts through a fair and transparent accountability system.
• Develops a system of graduation requirements that will result in improving student preparation for post-secondary education and the 21st century world of work and citizenship.
• Increases the graduation rate and develops ways to personalize education.
• Works with our partners to develop a systematic approach so that students and teachers receive the support they need to learn and teach under the new math and science standards.

Bob Harmon, Assistant Superintendent
Special Programs and Federal Accountability
bob.harmon@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6170

Special Programs and Federal Accountability assists school districts in raising the academic achievement of students who face the challenges of disability, poverty, second language acquisition, learning difficulty, and mobility by ensuring that students are given an equitable opportunity to learn using the best available resources and methods. The division:

• Oversees iGrants, an Internet-based system for federal and state grant applications, grant request for proposals (RFPs), and end-of-year reports.
• Supervises Special Education, Title I (LAP & Consolidated Program Reviews), Title II (Highly Qualified Teachers) and Migrant & Bilingual Education.

Erin Jones, Assistant Superintendent
Student Achievement
erin.jones@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6164

Student Achievement seeks to address the needs of all students and develop a strategic plan to make sure all students in Washington state, regardless of race, gender or socioeconomic background, graduate with the skills to be successful in life. As the Assistant Superintendent for Student Achievement, Jones will disseminate information about best practices in successful districts across the state. Student Achievement:

• Oversees the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning, the Teacher Assistance Program and Troops to Teachers.
• Focuses on creating a repository of best-practices and building bridges between schools, families and communities.
• Oversees achievement gap studies and dropout prevention in Washington state.

Kathleen Lopp, Assistant Superintendent
Career and College Readiness
kathleen.lopp@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6249

Career and College Readiness works to promote the quality and rigor of Career and Technical Education and Secondary Education courses, provide students with options that link middle school to high school and to post-secondary opportunities, blend academic and technical studies, and most importantly, connect students to their goals for the future. Career and College Readiness:

• Manages Career and Technical Education programs that lead to industry certification, apprenticeships, and college degrees.
• Supervises Skills Centers that specialize in high-cost, high-demand programs.
• Manages High Demand grants, equivalency credit opportunities, and Running Start for the Trades.
• Oversees Perkins Federal legislation.

Tom Lopp, Assistant Superintendent
Federal and State Legislation
tom.lopp@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-4971

The office of Federal and State Legislation provides a direct link to federal and state legislators to move the priorities of the Superintendent forward.

At the federal level, the office of Federal and State Legislation:

• Builds continuous strong relationships with Washington’s Congressional delegation.
• Provides timely information to the delegation on exiting federal programs and new proposals.
• Serves as federal liaison for the Superintendent to the Council of Chief State School Officers.
• Works with advocacy groups to shape and influence federal legislation.
• Maintains a continuous strong relationship with the Department of Education and other federal agencies, and serves as a conduit for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

At the state level, the office of Federal and State Legislation:

• Maintains external and internal partnerships with business, labor and education leaders.
• Works with legislators and legislative staff.
• Focuses on career and technical education and workforce legislation, and provides leadership on Navigation 101 legislative issues.
• Provides advocacy on OSPI request legislations.

Martin Mueller, Assistant Superintendent
Student Support
martin.mueller@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6175

Student Support’s primary purpose is to support the academic success of all learners through a broad range of programs and services, including Pupil Transportation, Child Nutritional Services, the Office of Professional Practices, Learning and Teaching Support, the Washington State School Safety Center, and non-public education (private education and home-based instruction). Student Support:

• Mitigates barriers to learning.
• Assists schools and districts to develop/improve systems that support student academic success.
• Strives to ensure that every student attends a school that is safe, healthy, and engaging, and that every student arrives safely at school every day healthy and eager to learn.
• Collaborates with other agencies around the needs of children, families, and communities.

Dr. Janell Newman, Assistant Superintendent
District and School Improvement and Accountability
janell.newman@k12.wa.us
(253) 593-2021

District and School Improvement and Accountability develops and distributes training, tools, and resources to support the improvement of all state schools and districts, and provides state technical assistance and support to schools and districts in improvement status. The division:

• Annually examines Average Yearly Progress (AYP) results to determine invitation, selection, and service level to schools and districts in greatest need of support.
• Collaboratively develops models of support to meet the student learning needs of districts and schools.
• Recruits, contracts, and trains improvement facilitators and technical assistance providers to deliver, coordinate and coach improvement.
• Secures state and federal funding and grants to support district and school needs, fulfill compliance, and monitoring reporting.
• Ensures timely program evaluation, data collection, and reporting requirements.

Dan Newell, Assistant Superintendent
Secondary Education
dan.newell@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-4954

The Secondary Education Assistant Superintendent provides a leadership role in shaping statewide education initiatives by helping to oversee and implement high school programs and requirements. He ensures that Washington’s students have access to the information and support they need to make informed decisions about their education by planning transition programs and activities for students entering and exiting secondary school. The division:

• Supports the Deputy Superintendent in providing leadership and assistance to secondary education.
• Collaborates with the Assistant Superintendent of Career and College Readiness to support the improvement of instructional leadership.
• Oversees graduation requirements (High School and Beyond, senior project, exams, credits).
• Responds to inquiries and concerns from teachers, administrators, and parents and follows up with appropriate action and resolution.
• Provides support and recognition of efforts to secondary schools by regular visitations.
• Oversees state/federal dual enrollment programs (such as Running Start) and high school graduation requirements.
• Administers Navigation 101, a life skills and planning program for students in grades K through 12.
• Manages credit waivers (150 hour rule).

Jennifer Priddy, Assistant Superintendent
K-12 Financial Resources
jennifer.priddy@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6111

Financial Resources distributes $7 billion annually in state and federal operations and facilities funding to 295 school districts and advocates for adequate funding for the school system. The division also:

• Manages internal resources.
• Oversees internal audit and resolution of school district audits, school district grant payments, and accounting.
• Manages competitive grant applications.

Peter Tamayo, Chief Information Officer
Information Technology Services
peter.tamayo@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6372

The Information Technology Services (ITS) coordinates the integration of technology to improve teaching and learning in the state of Washington by providing leadership and management of technology, a telecommunications infrastructure, and the tools for students, teachers and administrators in the K-12 sector.

• Provides technical support to the K-12 Web site and develops and maintains software for OSPI and the school districts.
• Supports and manages the OSPI IT infrastructure including video conferencing.
• Develops, manages and supports projects, programs, training and successful practices that integrate technology into teaching and learning.
• Conducts data mining and reporting to comply with OSPI, state, and federal reporting requirements.
• Coordinates OSPI public record requests and provides records management services.

Dr. Joe Willhoft, Assistant Superintendent
Assessment and Student Information
joe.willhoft@k12.wa.us
(360) 725-6334

The Assessment and Student Information division produces and implements state and federally required tests and collects and reports information about Washington’s public school students. The division:

• Administers assessments in reading, mathematics, writing, and science in grades 3-8 and high school.
• Monitors student progress toward meeting testing requirements for high school graduates, including approved assessment options.
• Coordinates the regular collection and reporting of student data from school districts.
• Disseminates formative assessments for teachers to use in the classroom for the purpose of monitoring instruction and improving learning.