Politico reported this morning that Hanna Skandera, the Commissioner of Education in New Mexico, cannot be confirmed because of her advocacy for Common Core. Skandera is a protege of Jeb Bush. Although she has never been a teacher or a principal, she does have some practical experience in education, unlike DeVos. Skandera is also a proponent of high-stakes testing and VAM. Best not to give her the power to push Arne Duncan’s failed ideas nationally.
SCOOP: SENATE GOP SCUTTLES SKANDERA NOMINATION: Wondering when those Education Department vacancies will be filled? Well, the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education may still be up for grabs after the Trump administration recently reversed plans to nominate New Mexico Education Secretary Hanna Skandera for the assistant secretary job, POLITICO has learned. The administration’s decision to pull back an offer came after Republicans raised concerns about Skandera’s support for the Common Core standards. The offer appears to have been extended before Hill Republicans were consulted.
– “About a dozen Republican offices were skeptical that they could ever vote yes” on Skandera because of her embrace of the standards, said a senior GOP aide. Those English and math standards are reviled by conservatives as a symbol of federal overreach. Republicans also weren’t interested in another fight over an education nominee after Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ bruising confirmation process. Skandera, who sits on the governing board for the Common Core-aligned PARCC test, declined to comment.
– Skandera has about a year and a half left on the job in New Mexico and many believed that her extensive K-12 and higher education experience made her a good bet for a federal job. Continued lack of top staff at the Education Department could hamper the Trump administration’s priorities and ability to work with states on the Every Student Succeeds Act. “Hanna was as good a candidate as they were ever going to get and they do need someone of that intelligence and stature as part of that team,” said one advocate. Caitlin Emma has the story.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
WOWZER!
“. . . and many believed that her extensive K-12 and higher education experience made her a good bet for a federal job.”
And that extensive K-12 experience is what???
She would have fit right in with the DC swamp…no comment from her means she is mortified. Oh well. You reap what you sow, sooner or later.
She may well be the only person to date who has actually LOST a job for supporting Common Core.
I’d suggest she ring up David Coleman for consolation, but, then again, he once said that no one gives a $#’t what you think, so I doubt that would cheer her up.
So we can thank (some of) the republicans for this?
Was the real reason Hanna Skandera was dropped because she also has Russian connections?
Hanna Skandera and Somer Tamir, Harmony School CEO, are both Fellows of the Gates-funded Aspen Pahara Institute. David Koch is on the Aspen board.
The oligarchs, who are intent on seizing America’s most important common good, have as opposition, 90% of Americans. There will be no party opposition, as long as the Center for American Progress is running the show in the Democratic Party.