Exec Council appoints Edelblut successor as education commissioner

The NH Executive Council on Wednesday unanimously supported Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s nomination of Caitlin Davis as commissioner of the state Department of Education.

Meeting in Pittsburg, the five-member council, approved Davis as successor to Frank Edelblut.

The decision came one day after the panel, which shares executive power with the governor, heard testimony from Democratic and Republican lawmakers as well as superintendents and teacher representatives, all praising Davis.

In taking the commissioner’s job, she is leaving her position as the NH Department of Education’s director of education analytics and resources, which she has held for eight years.

“Caitlin Davis’s collaborative, data-driven approach and relationships with school leaders, parents, and members of the Legislature from across our state will help ensure we keep delivering a best-in-class education for all of New Hampshire’s students,” Ayotte said in a statement following the confirmation. 

“Together, we will make sure our schools continue to innovate, support our fantastic teachers, and strive for the highest standards of academic achievement so every child reaches his or her full potential. I’m pleased the Council confirmed Caitlin today, and I look forward to working with her.”

Davis, of Concord, who has worked for the NH Department of Education for a total of 15 years, also released a statement.

“Our state’s education system is built on the strength of our local communities, committed educators, and the belief that every child deserves a high-quality education. Education is one of the most powerful and transformative forces in a child’s life,” said Davis, who has vowed not to use her new position as a political platform.

“I am committed to ensuring that every student in New Hampshire has access to the kind of education that can transform their life, and that our systems, policies, and partnerships are aligned in pursuit of that goal.”

Robert Malay, superintendent of NH School Administrative Unit 29, which includes Keene and is the largest multi-district SAU in the state, also supports Davis.

“Caitlin has been a strong advocate for our public schools and students, as demonstrated over her many years of service,” he said. “I have personally witnessed her build strong relationships with educators and leaders across the state during my tenure that has resulted in mutual trust and respect.”

At the NH Executive Council meeting Wednesday, Councilor David Wheeler of Milford, whose district takes in a number of Monadnock Region communities, thanked Edelblut, of Wilton, who was appointed by then-Gov. Chris Sununu in 2017.

Wheeler noted that Edelblut was at the meeting Wednesday in Pittsburg.

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“Thank him for his good work at the Department of Education, all the good innovations that he brought there with his business and education experience, helping us with EFAs, making that a reality,” Wheeler said.

EFAs are Education Freedom Accounts, New Hampshire’s version of school vouchers, which use taxpayer money to help parents defray the cost of sending their children to private, religious and home schools.

The growing program has been controversial, with opponents saying it siphons badly needed money away from traditional schools and supporters saying it provides needed options for children who don’t thrive in public schools.

Edelblut drew opposition from many in the education community as not being sufficiently supportive of traditional public education.

Unlike Davis, he never worked for the NH Department of Education. He is a former state legislator and a former candidate for governor.

In an April 22, 2024, opinion piece on the department’s website, he talked about the range of complaints the department receives.

“How should the department respond when educators have reached out to express concern about diversity, equity and inclusion trainings that they are required to attend, believing they may be discriminatory?” he asked in the piece.

“Or when educators have reached out believing that it was inappropriate for school counselors to encourage students to transition their gender without involving a parent?”

He closed the piece by saying that when he assumed the role of commissioner, he committed “to being 100 percent focused on the children. Thank God someone is looking out for the children.”

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Rick Green can be reached at 603-352-1234, ext. 1435, or rgreen@keenesentinel.com.

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