Board taps Dodd Hawthorne to lead education workforce development initiative

The Alabama State Board of Education hired Dodd Hawthorne as Alabama’s new assistant state superintendent for career and technical education and workforce development at its meeting Tuesday. 

Hawthorne told Alabama Daily News the biggest challenge facing the state’s education department is providing enough opportunities for high school students. 

“I think that’s always going to be our biggest challenge, and making sure that wherever a student is, you know it doesn’t matter what school, that we’re getting them prepared to be successful when they leave Alabama public schools,” he said.

He said he is most excited about the alternative pathways that are offered in Alabama public schools. 

“Well, the alternative pathways, I just think it will give students a great opportunity to kind of narrow down their focus as to what their career is instead of having to take a science or math that maybe doesn’t pertain to what they want to be when they leave high school,” he said. 

Hawthorne has served as superintendent of Crenshaw County Schools and was named a finalist for Superintendent of the Year in 2023. He will begin his new job on Aug. 16, State Superintendent Eric Mackey said.