By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Mike Beebe today recommended Tom Kimbrell of Cabot, executive director of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, to be head of the state Department of Education.

The state Board of Education is scheduled to consider Kimbrell’s hiring Monday and Beebe has scheduled a news conference to announce the successor to Ken James, who resigned June 30 after more than five years as state education commissioner.

“I just see it as an opportunity to have the greatest impact on the greatest number of kids that I possibly can have as an educator,” Kimbrell, a former school superintendent and 25-year educator, said Friday. “I’m excited the governor has the faith and confidence in me.”

Rep. Bill Abernathy, D-Mena, chairmen of the House Education Committee, praised Kimbrell’s experience as a former teacher and school administrator, as well as his close work with the Education Department as head of the administrators association.

Tom Kimbrell has been through the ranks, he understands the school system well and working with policymakers. (He) also communicates well and is very well liked,” Abernathy said. “This is a great nomination.”

Kimbrell, a Dyess native, is a 1980 graduate of Corning High School and earned a doctorate in education from Arkansas State University.

After working several years as a teacher, Kimbrell serve as superintendent of the Paragould School District and later also headed the North Little Rock district before going to work for the administrators association in 2005.

Heading the state Education Department “is a personal and professional goal of mine,” he said Friday.

Kimbrell praised James’ record as education commissioner and said he would work to continue improving public education in the state.

During James’ tenure, Arkansas students’ scores on benchmark exams have gradually improved overall and there has been a narrowing of the achievement gap between whites and minorities on most tests.

“I think those are very, very big shoes to fill, but I think there are some things that we can do in the state to begin to address maybe some of the smaller pieces … when you get down to the classroom level,” Kimbrell said Friday.

For one, Kimbrell said he wants to do more to help school districts identify their weaknesses and correct them.

“We have to help them find a way to improve so those kids have the same opportunity as any other kids,” he said.

Deputy Education Commissioner Diana Julian has served as interim education commissioner since James’ departure.