Scott appoints new member to state Board of Education

Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Gary R. Chartrand, chairman of Jacksonville-based Acosta Sales and Marketing, to the Florida Board of Education.

Chartrand was on Scott’s education transition team, which called for expanding vouchers and charter schools, as well as a “re-branding” of the state Department of Education.

Chartrand is on the board of directors of the KIPP schools in Jacksonville. KIPP – the Knowledge is Power Program – is a national network of charter schools. He is also a director of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, and according to his website, he “led the effort” to bring Teach for America to the Jacksonville area.

According to the Florida Division of Elections, Chartrand made political contributions for the 2010 general election to the Republican Party of Florida, Bill McCollum (who lost the Republican gubernatorial primary to Scott), the Florida First Initiative (a McCollum-affiliated campaign committee), the campaigns of Republicans Jeff Atwater and Adam Putnam, current Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture. Chartrand also contributed $500 to the campaign of Democrat Reggie Fullwood (see below), and gave $10,000 to Scot’s inauguration fund.

Chartrand will former Board of Education chairman T. Willard Fair, who recently resigned as chairman of the board after the departure of Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith.

Contributions Query Results – Division of Elections – Florida Department of State