Gov.-elect Sarah Huckabee Sanders introduced her intention to appoint Jacob Oliva because the state’s Secretary of the Division of Schooling on Thursday.
Oliva, the senior chancellor on the Florida Division of Schooling, will take over from present Schooling Secretary Johnny Key, the person Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed to steer the division in his first yr in workplace in 2015. Per a information launch offered to the Log Cabin by the governor-elect’s employees, Oliva mentioned Sanders “has the best imaginative and prescient to unleash Arkansas schooling and I’m excited to get to work on day one to enact it.”
“Schooling is the important thing to the longer term, creating alternative for all, which is why I’ve spent my profession implementing profitable early studying packages, empowering mother and father with decisions and investing in profession readiness,” Oliva mentioned. “I’m able to proceed that work right here in Arkansas and sit up for working with Gov.-elect Sanders to construct a vibrant future for our college students.”
Sanders mentioned she intends to work in partnership with the state’s Board of Schooling to nominate Oliva to serve in a twin position because the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Schooling. In her remarks, Sanders mentioned nominating Oliva is a sign of her administration’s intent to “rework Arkansas schooling with daring reforms that can empower each child to succeed.”
“Jacob’s confirmed success growing pupil achievement and his expertise serving in lots of academic roles will make him an asset to my administration,” Sanders mentioned. “Via my Arkansas LEARNS plan, we’ll broaden entry to high quality schooling for each child rising up in our state, empower mother and father, not authorities bureaucrats and put together college students for the workforce, not authorities dependency, so everybody has a shot at a greater life proper right here in Arkansas.”
About Jacob Oliva
Sanders’ information launch described Oliva as a “key schooling chief” for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and mentioned “he has been a frontrunner implementing Gov. DeSantis’ parental rights insurance policies and daring schooling reforms.”
Oliva joined the Florida Division of Schooling in 2017 and assumed the title of Government Vice Chancellor of Public Faculties. Advancing to Chancellor in 2019, and once more being promoted to Senior Chancellor in 2021, Oliva additionally serves as Interim Commissioner of the Florida Division of Schooling.
Per the information launch, accomplishments throughout Oliva’s tenure with the Florida Division of Schooling embrace supporting “the educating and studying of Florida’s over 2.8 million college students in roughly 3,600 public faculties, selling pupil achievement and shutting achievement gaps,” in addition to holding tasks like “early studying, alternative packages, faculty security and faculty accountability.”
The son of a Cuban-born father, Oliva was born and raised in Miami and attended Miami-Dade County Public Faculties, in addition to Flagler School. He began his profession in schooling over 20 years in the past as an elementary trainer for college students with particular wants in Flagler County, Fla. Later, he superior to function a principal at each the elementary and highschool ranges and served in assistant superintendent and superintendent roles for Flagler County Faculties, a district that serves over 13,000 college students.
Oliva “has lived the American dream and empowered 1000’s of others to do the identical by increasing entry to high quality schooling,” the information launch learn. Oliva and his spouse Rebecca are the mother and father of two youngsters.
