Brenner Votes with Senate to Confirm Department of Education and Workforce Director

COLUMBUS - State Senator Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) voted with the majority of the Ohio Senate today to confirm Stephen D. Dackin as the first director of the newly established Department of Education and Workforce.

The Operating Budget passed in June turned the Department of Education into the Department of Education and Workforce in order to enact significant and much-needed reforms. Those reforms included realigning the department under the authority of the Executive Branch of government with significant new oversight by the Ohio General Assembly.

"As chairman of the Senate Education Committee, it was particularly important to me that we enact a legislative check on this appointment," said Senator Brenner. "Empowering the Senate to confirm this appointment accomplished that. I look forward to working with Director Dackin as he charts a productive new course for education in Ohio." 

Director Dackin was nominated to the post by Governor DeWine. Dackin has an extensive background in education including service as a Member-at-Large on the Ohio State Board of Education. He also served as Superintendent of School and Community Partnerships at Columbus State Community College, where, according to the governor, he managed the college’s creation of a workforce pipeline between K-12 school districts, higher education institutions, employers, and community stakeholders.

Dackin's experience also includes serving local school districts as a teacher in Elida Local Schools and Upper Scioto Valley Local Schools; a principal at Elida High School and Reynoldsburg High School; the superintendent at Reynoldsburg City Schools; and an administrator at Westerville City Schools and the Ohio Department of Education.