Jindal Taps Former Lawmaker For Education Board

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A former state lawmaker is taking the vacant seat on the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Governor Bobby Jindal announced Friday that he's appointed Jane Smith to the 11-member board.

Smith, a former Bossier Parish schools superintendent, works for the Department of Revenue as its legislative liaison.

She spent 12 years in the state House of Representatives until she was term-limited, and she has more than 30 years of educational experience, including as a teacher and principal. Her husband is an assistant superintendent in Bossier Parish.

Jindal has three appointments to BESE, and the other eight positions are elected. Smith takes the seat once held by Stephen Waguespack, who left the board after being chosen president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.