AURORA | Katy Anthes, interim commissioner at the Colorado Department of Education, will stay in her role as the state’s top education official through May 2017, State Board of Education Chairman Steve Durham, R-Colorado Springs, and Vice Chair Angelika Schroeder, D-Boulder, announced Monday, Aug. 15.
The state board tapped Anthes for the interim job in May after former education commissioner Richard Crandall unexpectedly resigned from his post. Crandall was unanimously selected to be commissioner just four months prior to submitting his resignation.
Both Durham and Schroeder lauded Anthes’ expertise and willingness to remain in her role as interim education chief. Anthes has held several roles with CDE since joining the state organization in 2011.
“With so many important tasks ahead of the department and the board over the next nine months, we’re pleased that Dr. Anthes is willing to continue serving as interim commissioner until next May,” Durham said in a statement.
Anthes is the state’s first female education commissioner since Nettie Freed, who held the role in the early 1950s.
The state board is not expected to begin searching for a permanent commissioner until January 2017, according to a press release issued Monday by CDE.