June Atkinson fought in court to get the right to run the state school system.

And on the first day of work after winning her case, Atkinson was at a conference out of state.

Atkinson was attending the summer institute of the Council of Chief State School Officers in Broomfield, Colo. It's probably as good a place as any for someone who is now in charge of the state school system to pick up a few last-minute tips.

Earlier Monday, Atkinson sent an e-mail message to Department of Public Instruction employees.

NCDPI Colleagues,

Judge Hobgood's ruling on Friday brings clarity to the issue regarding the constitutional authority of the State Superintendent. It is the State Superintendent's role to carry out State Board of Education policies and state law by managing and supervising DPI staff and it is the State Board's role to make education policy. I have great respect for the State Board and will honor its role as being the policy making entity for public education.

While the past few months have been awkward, my commitment to leadership and service has never wavered. I am sure that Dr. Harrison, as SBE Chair, and I will continue to work together for the benefit of all students. I value your expertise and ask for your support as we move forward.

June

The state's head of public school testing has been named to a committee that will weigh in on the next version of the federal No Child Left Behind law.

Lou Fabrizio, director of accountability policy and communications at the state Department of Public Instruction, is on a national task force that will present ideas to Congress in September as it rewrites the law on school accountability, reports Lynn Bonner.

The task force was appointed by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

North Carolina's schools superintendent is in the minority.

According to this chart from the Council of Chief State School Officers, only 14 state superintendents are elected, and only eight of them are partisan positions.

The nonpartisan superintendents serve in California, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. The partisan superintendents serve in Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wyoming.

In the other 36 states, chief school officers are appointed either by the governor or the state board of education. In a few cases, they are also confirmed by the legislature.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Orr has called for making North Carolina's superintendent an appointed, rather than elected, position.