The Gotham Gazette reports that the Board of Regents has named Deputy Commissioner John King to replace David Steiner as the Commissioner of the New York State Education Department. Mr. King's childhood was one marked by turmoil as he lost both of his parents before reaching his teenage years and was later expelled from school for bad behavior, but he turned things around and completed degrees at Harvard, Yale, and Columbia. He holds a law degree and a doctorate in education. Both of his parents were educators. Professionally, he has been active in the charter school movement, the bid for Race to the Top funds, and efforts to make testing more rigorous. Also interesting to note: when he was named Commissioner, he had his own salary reduced from $255,000 to $212,500 in light of New York's fiscal problems.