Liaison for state's struggling schools to join administrators' agency

Mike Hernandez, who is the state's leader in working with academically and financially struggling schools, has been hired to be the executive director of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, the organization announced Monday.

Hernandez, who currently holds the title of state superintendent for coordinated support and service, will begin work with the school district administrators' agency on July 1. He will ultimately replace Richard Abernathy in the organization's top position when Abernathy retires in December.

"Dr. Hernandez is an outstanding educational leader in Arkansas," Abernathy said after the organization's board of directors made its selection. "He has a compassion for all the children in the state, is hardworking, has high standards, and will take the association to the next level."

Hernandez has been in his current position for the state Division of Elementary and Secondary Education since July 2017.

In that role he leads efforts to build systems to support academically and/or financially struggling school districts that have been placed under state control by the Arkansas Board of Education. Those include the Little Rock, Pine Bluff and Dollarway school systems, as well as Lee County and Earle school districts.

Hernandez was deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner in the state agency from July 2013 to 2015.

He was superintendent of the Hot Springs School District from July 2015 to 2017 and the Danville School District from July 2011 to June 2013.

Metro on 02/11/2020

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