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Dan Weintraub's California Insider reported Sunday night that Richard Riordan will be appointed Gov. Schwarzenegger's secretary for child development and education, probably today. Given the anonymity of such posts in Sacramento, and the presence of an elected state education chief, the question is: why?
Says Weintraub:
Education Secretary would seem to be a step down for him. But he wanted the job, and campaigned for it. Look for him to use the position as a bully pulpit to advocate for local control and a reduction in the state education bureaucracy.
You'll remember that while Riordan was mayor, he tried to lead reform of the independent L.A. school district -- with mixed success. His moves to stack the school board gained traction for awhile, but voters turned against his bloc of board members. One thing we know for sure, he's not taking the job for the money.