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Early education chief lives in Conn., in Supt.. training program

(MyFoxBoston.com) – An investigation reveals that the state's $200,000-a-year early education chief is living out of state and training for a new job.

The Boston Herald reports that Early Education and Care Commissioner Sherri Killins lives in New Haven, Conn. Her department's main office is two-and-a-half hours away in South Boston.

According to the Herald, Killins is enrolled in an internship to become a superintendent and the program requires 300 hours of in-the-field training. They say Killins has logged 30 hours of training through the Ware Public Schools in Western Mass.

Fox 25's Sharman Sacchetti stopped at Killins' office on Wednesday, but was stopped by security.

Later, at an event at Horizons for Homeless Children in Roxbury, Sacchetti asked Gov. Deval Patrick and Mass. Education Secretary Matt Malone about Killins.

"Absolutely her focus should be on the job she has right now," We have people who are focused on the jobs they have right now who, in their spare time and in their own time, are preparing for the next thing. The question is, 'Is her preparing for the next thing on her own time?' and that's what the (Malone) is trying to sort out."

Patrick said he knew that Killins was training to become a superintendent.

When Sacchetti asked Malone who Killins answers to he replied, "The board of early education and care... under the executive office of education I have a role in that."

Sacchetti also asked Malone if he knew Killins lived in Connecticut, but he walked away without answering.

Gov. Patrick has asked for $350 million in funding for the education department as part of his $1.9 billion budget proposal.