09/17/2007

Associated Press

June Atkinson, who waited nine months after the 2004 election to take office because of a legal fight over contested ballots, said Monday she will seek a second term as state school superintendent next year.

Atkinson, a Democrat, became superintendent of public instruction in August 2005 after the General Assembly chose her in a historic vote by legislators, citing her efforts to raise the high school graduation rate and standardized test scores.

"Our students' learning is unprecedented and the state public education system is moving in the right direction," Atkinson said in a news release. "I will continue to work will all partners ... to ensure our students are prepared for a global economy."

Atkinson worked three decades as a teacher and an administrator within the Department of Public Instruction before becoming superintendent, the chief executive of North Carolina's 1.4 million student public school system.

Eddie Davis, president of the North Carolina Association of Educators, has said he is considering challenging Atkinson in next May's Democratic primary.

Atkinson led Republican Bill Fletch by about 8,500 votes following the November 2004 general election, but Fletcher argued at least 11,000 ballots cast outside of voters' home precincts were unlawful.

The state Supreme Court agreed in early 2005 that the ballots were cast illegally, but the Legislature later passed a law that essentially overturned the opinion. That set up a joint legislative session in which lawmakers elected Atkinson to serve through the end of 2008.

The General Assembly had not selected a winner for statewide office since North Carolina law was changed in 1835 to allow citizens to directly elect a governor.