Governor Paul R. LePage has nominated Dr. William Beardsley to be Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education. Beardsley has been with Maine DOE since October as acting commissioner.
Now the State Board of Education will have the opportunity to meet with Beardsley, who was a board member prior to being named acting commissioner. The board will then forward an evaluation to the Governor. Following that, the nomination is then subject to review by the Legislature’s Joint Education Committee and final confirmation by the Maine Senate.
Beardsley served as president and CEO of Husson University for 22 years and also served on and chaired numerous boards including Maine Higher Education Council, Maine Independent College Association, and the Finance Authority of Maine. He has previously served as commissioner for the Maine Department of Conservation.
In his short time with Maine DOE, Beardsley has spent time visiting preschools, learning more about literacy programs as well as meeting with superintendents. He has been directly involved in assessment decisions, work towards proficiency-based diplomas, and getting familiar with an array of school funding issues.