Blomberg to retire

Florida interim education commissioner Jeanine Blomberg has announced her retirement from the Department of Education after more than 30 years on the staff.

Blomberg took over the top job in March, replacing her more high-profile and controversial boss John Winn, considered by many the architect of Florida's A-Plus plan. She had been his chief of staff to that point.

During her brief tenure as commissioner, Blomberg did not shy from controversy. Most notably, she dealt with a scoring snafu on the 2006 third-grade FCAT reading test. She won much praise for adding transparency to the testing system, bringing together a panel of experts that now is reviewing much more than just the way the annual exam is written and scored.

"Her steadfast commitment to student achievement, clear devotion to public transparency and unwavering personal integrity make her legacy one that is sure to live on," State Board of Education chairman T. Willard Fair said in a prepared statement.

Eric J. Smith will take over as the state's education commissioner on Monday.

To read the press release on Blomberg's announcement, click here. Check back at noon Saturday for an interview with Jeanine Blomberg.