As expected, the state Board of Education today approved Tony Wood as head of the state Education Department. He’d been recommended by Gov. Mike Beebe to succeed Tom Kimbrell, who left the job to become superintendent in Bryant.

Wood, who’d been deputy education commissioner under Kimbrell, is a former teacher and superintendent whose past jobs included 18 years as superintendent in Searcy.

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Beebe’s term ends this year. Education directors often change with administrations. Wood takes over July 1.

Also today, the state Board of Education voted to end state control of the Dollarway School District effective Oct. 1. It has been running the district for two years for failure to meet accreditation standards. The end of state control will allow the district to again have an elected school board.

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