Ayotte to replace New Hampshire's top education official
Ayotte, a fellow proponent of school choice who took office in January, said Edelblut deserves credit for spending the past eight years making New Hampshire schools 'more innovative and forward-thinking.' She also praised his focus on expanding the variety of educational opportunities available to families in the state.
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'My office will launch a search for our next Education Commissioner who will build on this momentum and further our goal of improving our standards and academic performance, supporting our incredible teachers, and delivering a best-in-class education for every child in New Hampshire,' Ayotte said in a statement.
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Edelblut, 63, said in the same statement that he will leave the New Hampshire Department of Education in a good spot, touting his work to support not only traditional public education but also public charter schools, private schools, home education, 'microschools,' and the state's
'With a strong educational foundation already in place, our state is well-positioned for continued growth,' he said. 'I am deeply grateful to my colleagues across New Hampshire and the nation who have joined me in expanding pathways to education and advancing learner-centered opportunities.'
Edelblut, a businessman, was first appointed as education commissioner in 2017 by Governor Christopher T. Sununu, who had just beaten him by less than 1 percentage point in the GOP's 2016 gubernatorial primary.
Edelblut, who was reappointed in 2021, will stay on through the remainder of the school year 'in holdover status,' Ayotte's office said.
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Edelblut was routinely criticized by Democrats, who argue the Education Freedom Account program inappropriately diverts taxpayer money away from the state's public schools.
Edelblut, whose own seven children were homeschooled, has also faced criticism for some of the ways he speaks to and about public school teachers and their handling of sensitive topics, particularly those pertaining to race and sexuality.
In 2021, Edelblut delivered a speech to what Sununu called a 'fringe group' with a history of supporting 'anti-government actions.' Sununu said it was '
In 2022, Edelblut published
In 2023, Edelblut successfully lobbied the state Board of Education to
In 2024, Edelblut published
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Although he opted not to run for governor again in the 2024 cycle, Edelblut spoke at the campaign kickoff event for former New Hampshire Senate President Chuck Morse, who lost to Ayotte in the GOP primary.
Steven Porter can be reached at
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