Luna names head of professional standards

BOISE (AP) - The Department of Education has a new director of certification and professional standards.

Taylor Raney, a Caldwell principal, was named Tuesday to the post by public schools chief Tom Luna.

Raney has been the principal at Wilson Elementary School in Caldwell since 2008.

He's also served on the Professional Standards Commission, representing elementary school principals.

Raney replaces Christina Linder, who left the Department of Education this week after she was named associate dean of Idaho State University's College of Education.

Luna says Raney will bolster his department's effort to reward good teachers across the state and help students graduate with skills that prepare them for the world beyond the classroom.

He starts Dec. 23.