I don’t know who Zach Smith will pick as the next president of Pensacola State College, but the last three Education Commissioners have been chosen for similar positions:
- Richard Corcoran—New College of Florida
- Manny Diaz Jr.—University of West Florida (Chosen by Smith)
- Anastasios Kamoutsas—Polk State College
The new Education Commissioner is Paul Burns. Does Zack Smith have him on speed dial?
Background: Pensacola State College’s District Board of Trustees will choose the institution’s next president. But how that choice gets made and who controls the path to it looks dramatically different than it did the last time the college went through this.
At the board’s monthly meeting on June 16, PSC Board Chair Zack Smith formally appointed himself and the rest of the board—George Atchison Jr., Rick Byars, Ed Fleming, Richard Holzknecht, Todd Leonard, Oscar Locklin, Audrey McDonald and Brooke Snyder—as the college’s Presidential Search Committee. Smith will chair it.
Burns Appointed Interim Education Commissioner
By Ana Goñi-Lessan, The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Board of Education appointed Paul Burns as interim education commissioner on Tuesday.
Burns, a Department of Education senior chancellor, was unanimously approved to step into the role of commissioner as Anastasios Kamoutsas exits to become president of Polk State College.
“He has led on nearly every initiative of this administration, diligently serving side by side with senior leadership, to keep the mission of the department in focus and keeping students first,” said board chairman Ryan Petty. “I have full confidence that he will continue the smooth and tireless operations in the department of education.”
Burns, who joined DOE in 2018 as deputy chancellor of educator quality, has also served as chancellor of K-12 public schools and currently oversees 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 in a DOE press release. “I am grateful to the Board for the trust placed in me to continue the mission of prioritizing student achievement and school safety.”
Under his leadership, the state has implemented numerous conservative reforms, including the Parents Bill of Rights, book removals and changes to sex education and the state’s social studies standards.
“Alongside Department leadership, he has fought tirelessly for parental rights and protecting children, never losing focus through some public and contentious fights,” the DOE press release says.
Currently, Burns makes approximately $193,000 as chancellor, and Kamoutsas makes approximately $330,000 as education commissioner, according to state data.
Before Kamoutsas was appointed education commissioner, he was deputy chief of staff for Gov. Ron DeSantis. In June 2025, he succeeded Manny Diaz Jr., who became president of the University of West Florida a month later.
Kamoutsas will begin his tenure as Polk State College’s sixth president on July 6 and joins a number of DeSantis allies who have taken prominent educational roles the past couple of years.
The list includes former Sen. Ray Rodrigues, who is university system chancellor; former House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who is president of New College of Florida; former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, who is president of Florida International University; former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, who is president of Florida Atlantic University; former Rep. Mel Ponder, who is president of Northwest Florida State College; former Rep. Tommy Gregory, who is president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota; former Rep. Fred Hawkins, who is president of South Florida State College; and former Rep. John Temple, who is president of Lake-Sumter State College.
