State Government

Kirk Resigns as State Board of Education Chair

Saying he simply was tired after working 16- and 18-hour days for the past five years, NCCBI President Phil Kirk resigned March 6  as chair of the State Board of Education, effective May 1. Kirk, who will continue as head of NCCBI, had held the volunteer post since being appointed to the position by Gov. Jim Hunt in 1997 and had led the state board for the second-longest period in state history. Gov. Mike Easley is expected to name a replacement soon.

”The past five-and-one-half years have been exhilarating, challenging, and most enjoyable,” Kirk said in a statement. “Our public schools are leading the nation in progress and North Carolina has won much-deserved national recognition by so many groups and in so many different areas. I researched Yogi Berra’s philosophy to try to find a statement that best summarized my reasons for resigning at this critical juncture in our state’s history. I found none so I went to my next favorite philosopher — Lefty Driesell. When he retired as a college basketball coach a couple of months ago, he said he was doing so because he was tired. Well, after working 16-18 hour days, seven days a week for five-and-one-half years, I am just tired.”

Gov. Easley said “Phil Kirk has been an outstanding chair keeping North Carolina in the unique position of linking business closely with education and workforce training. His resignation will leave a huge void. He has set the bar high with his endless commitment and boundless energy by visiting more than 750 schools across the state. I am very grateful to him for his service.”

Kirk said he was proud the State Board of Education had accomplished many goals during his tenure as chair. “We can document substantial progress in every grade since the ABCs began. Our students are clearly learning more in math, reading, writing, computer technology, and other subjects. Our dropout rate has fallen three years in a row. Our SAT scores are improving faster than any other state. We are supporting our teachers more with salaries, for example, going from 43 in the nation to 21. We have implemented a mentoring program for beginning teachers, salary increases for those with enhanced master’s degrees and national board certification with our state ranking first in the nation in the number of teachers meeting this rigorous standard. We have been ranked first in the nation in improving teacher quality two of the past three years.”

And he said he was proud to have accomplished some personal goals, including visiting all 117 school systems in the state at least once. Kirk personally visited more than 750 individual schools. ”I am most grateful to North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry — our remarkable staff and volunteers — for allowing me to serve on the State Board of Education,” Kirk said. “However, keeping NCCBI growing, successful, and effective needs my full attention and energy. This will be a most difficult and challenging session in the General Assembly and U.S. Congress. I need to be focused on meeting the needs of our members at NCCBI.”

He said he would remain committed to education in several capacities, including chairing the Workforce Development and Education committee of the North Carolina Economic Development Board.

Kirk said: “There are many things I will miss — working daily with the members of the State Board of Education, the tremendous State Board staff, our outstanding State Superintendent and good friend Mike Ward, and the dedicated employees in the Department of Public Instruction. I will miss the hugs from the children; the T-shirts, caps, and coffee mugs from the schools; the letters of praise and complaint who just want someone to listen to them, someone to answer their letters and to return their phone calls. As the soon-to-be chair emeritus, I look forward to maintaining a close, but different relationship with each of you.

“I am grateful to my employer, North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry — its staff and volunteers — for allowing me to serve in this position. To Gov. Hunt for going out on a limb to appoint me to the State Board of Education and to the members for electing me four terms to serve as your chairman and to Gov. Easley for continuing that support level and confidence level. To the administrators, support staff, and classroom teachers who have welcomed me beyond belief and expectations into their schools and classrooms. To the many pro-education groups with whom Superintendent Ward and I have had the unique pleasure of working with together. To our colleagues in the 59 community colleges and on the campuses of our public and independent colleges and universities.

Former Gov. Hunt, who appointed Kirk to the board, said, “Phil Kirk has done a superb job as Chairman of the State Board of Education. He has made an historic contribution in pushing for high academic standards in North Carolina schools and under his leadership, our test scores reflecting student learning have gone up more than in any other state. His tenure also has seen the standards for public school teachers raised and salaries have advanced from 43 to 21 in the nation. I am deeply grateful for his leadership and urge his continued strong involvement in improving education and the economy in North Carolina.”

Ward said that Kirk has been a hard-working and successful leader for public schools. “While it is tough to see Phil leave this role, we’re proud of his legacy as state board chair and confident that he will continue to be a strong advocate for our students.”    — Steve Tuttle

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