Pass previously

served on the Governor's Education Reform Study Commission, which met

in 1999 and 2000 to review education reform issues and to advise Governor

Roy Barnes on two rounds of education reform legislation.

Those sessions

culminated with the Georgia General Assembly's adoption of HB 1187, the

A-Plus Education Reform Act, in 2000 and HB 656 in 2001.

"I am

counting on this group to shake up the educational system as it exists

today in Georgia," Gov. Barnes said as he charged the Education Reform

Committee in 1999.

"We have

been able to put together a group of people who are both experienced with

and devoted to educational issues, and I know that they will be able to

develop sound ideas that will help restore public confidence in our schools."

Pass chaired

the School Climate committee on the commission - one of four committees

along with Seamless Education, Funding and Accountability Committees.

Fairmount Principal

Hooker has served on Implementation Task Force since its inception, and

was appointed by the Governor to represent school principals.

"We discuss

the best ways of looking at 1187,examine it in all areas, and recommended

how it can best be implemented across the state of Georgia."

Recommendations

are made to the State Board of Education or various education departments

in the state.

Hooker noted

that the task force has also developed an implementation manual for every

Superintendent and every school in Georgia, covering each component of

HB 1187.

Hooker said

the task force's recommendations have been taken seriously.

"So far,

out of the time we've met, about 38 initiatives have gone through,"

she said, including recommendations made concerning class sizes, funding,

standardized testing and her particular area of expertise, alternative

education, programs.

Representing

Georgia school principals has also brought her in contact with many of

her peers in Georgia.

"I've

been able to talk with principals in Coweta and around the state for feedback

on these issues."

"We're

glad we do have representation at the table," said Hooker. "It's

an exciting process, because I've been able to sit and meet with many

of the people we hear about, and they get the perspective of school leaders.

I was very honored to be selected."

Pass is fulfilling

the role of a representative school board member on the task force, "so

I have to keep that hat on as we meet," she said.

"I'm honored

to have been chosen," said Pass. "It's a small group of very

knowledgeable and very bright people."

Other members

of the 21-person committee include state Representative Kathy Ashe (D-46),

Cathy Henson, of the State Board of Education, Dr. Davis Nelson, of the

state Office of Accountability, Dr. Allene Magill, Superintendent of Dalton

City School, Wendy Martin, Vice-President of Albany Technical College,

Dr. Jeffrey Williams of the Georgia School Superintendent Association,

and others from educational fields and state government. Tom Upchurch,

President of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, chairs

the task force.