TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The State Board of Education has appointed Dr. Paul O. Burns as Florida’s interim commissioner of education.
The board unanimously approved Burns’ appointment Tuesday, according to the Florida Department of Education.
Burns has served at the Department of Education for eight years and currently serves as senior chancellor. He will continue in that role while also serving as interim commissioner.
Burns joined the department in 2018 as deputy chancellor for educator quality after nearly 20 years of experience as a teacher and school administrator.
He later became chancellor of public schools in January 2023, supporting teaching and learning for more than 2.8 million students in about 3,700 Florida public schools.
In August 2024, Burns was elevated to senior chancellor, expanding his responsibilities to include oversight of the Division of Early Learning, the Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement, the Office of School Choice and the Office of Safe Schools.
“I am humbled to serve as Interim Commissioner of Education,” Burns said. “I am grateful to the Board for the trust placed in me to continue the mission of prioritizing student achievement and school safety.”
Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas praised the board’s decision, saying Burns knows the department and understands how to deliver results.
“For the past eight years, Dr. Burns has played a central role in implementing and advancing Florida’s education agenda,” Kamoutsas said.
State Board of Education Chair Ryan Petty called Burns a steady and trusted leader with a record of advancing policies focused on students.
The department said Burns was involved in the creation of Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards, which replaced Common Core in Florida classrooms, and helped develop and implement the FAST progress monitoring assessments aligned to those standards.
Burns earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas, a master’s degree from Lindenwood University and a doctorate from St. Louis University.
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