Gov. Beverly Perdue announces a new chief executive officer for the N.C. public schools. Bill Harrison, superintendent of Cumberland County Schools, will take the newly created post. He’ll also serve as chairman of the State Board of Education. Current board chairman Howard Lee will become the executive director of the N.C. Education Cabinet, while Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson will remain outside the chain of command. Atkinson has agreed to chair a new blue ribbon task force on workforce issues. Perdue announced these changes during a Jan. 26, 2009, news conference.