Since taking office in January, Gov. Jerry Brown has made a host of appointments to state offices and commissions. And now, yet another candidate has been selected–this time from the Central Coast.
Santa Barbara County Planning Commissioner Michael Cooney, 66, who represents the county’s 1st District, has been picked to become one of the top dogs on teacher credentialing, the governor’s office announced May 31.
As a member of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Cooney will be responsible for enforcing state standards of educator preparation for public schools, handling licensing for professional educators throughout the state, and enforcing professional education practices, as well as disciplining credentialed teachers.
Cooney, a Democrat, has experience in finance as well as education, and has been a partner of the Santa Barbara Investment group since 1997. More relevant to the position, Cooney served on the California Student Aid Commission from 2000 to 2004, taking over as chair for the last three years of his tenure.
He also served on the board of the nonprofit student financial resource corporation EdFund from 2006 to 2010, acted as trustee of the Montecito Union School District from 1977 to 1988, and has been an assistant varsity baseball coach at Santa Barbara High School since 1981.
A busy man, Cooney has also served on the county Planning Commission since 2004.
The 19-member Commission on Teacher Credentialing consists of 15 voting members and four ex-officio members. Voting members of the commission are selected by the governor, and the state superintendent of public instruction—or his or her designee—serves as the 15th voting member.
Following his selection by Brown, Cooney’s appointment will need to be finalized by the state Senate. Should he be confirmed, Cooney will enjoy a per diem compensation rate of $100 for his service.
This article appears in Jun 9-16, 2011.
