Personnel note: Richard Corcoran taps Alex Kelly as chief of staff

Richard Corcoran extolled a report from his department Monday.

Three days after the State Board of Education unanimously approved former House Speaker Richard Corcoran as the state’s next Education Commissioner, the Pasco County Republican has selected his chief of staff.

As reported by Andrew Atterbury of POLITICO Florida, Corcoran has picked Alex Kelly to serve as his top staffer.

Kelly currently serves as the vice president for the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd), a job he has held for four years. ExcelinEd was founded by former Gov. Jeb Bush in 2008 and advocates for educational opportunity, innovation and quality.

Prior to joining ExcelinEd, Kelly worked as the chief of staff in the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. He earned his bachelor’s degree from York University and his master’s degree from the University of Florida.

The pick is a natural one for Corcoran as Kelly ascribes to many of the same conservative education principles that defined Corcoran’s tenure as House Speaker, including expansions to school choice via nontraditional and private charter schools.

Kelly was also nominated by Corcoran to serve on the Florida Election Commission, a nine-member panel charged with ensuring transparency in Florida elections. His term on the commission expires at the end of 2019.

Corcoran’s pro-charter positions led the Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teacher union, to stand in harsh opposition to his appointment as Education Commissioner.

However, Corcoran stated after the State Board of Education vote that while he is a proponent of school choice he also is “a product of the traditional public-school system and an advocate for the traditional public-school system.”

Corcoran also said he plans to focus on implementing the agenda Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis, who selected him for the role. Those policies: Increasing workforce training and school-choice options, improving curriculum, and reevaluating standards.

Corcoran and his staff, including Kelly, are expected to take over the reins from current Education Commissioner Pam Stewart shortly after the new year.