The state government’s top special education administrator will change jobs to assume responsibility for special service programs in Lawrence public schools, officials said Monday.

Bruce Passman, a former Lawrence school district staff member, replaces Doug Eicher, who resigned after seven years to be superintendent of schools in Milford, Neb.

“It is energizing to return to the Lawrence community,” Passman said.

Supt. Randy Weseman said the district was fortunate to attract someone of Passman’s caliber.

“He is one of the foremost authorities on special education in the state,” Weseman said.

Nearly one-third of the Lawrence district’s 10,000 students receive special services of some kind.

Passman will be responsible for students with disabilities, gifted children and those in English as a Second Language. He’ll also administer programs in nursing, social work, early childhood development, American Indian education and juvenile detention services.

After earning bachelor’s and specialist’s degrees at Kansas University, Passman was a psychologist from 1975 to 1978 and special education coordinator from 1978 to 1984 in the Lawrence school district.

He was in the Blue Valley school district from 1984 to 2000, including four years as executive director of student services. He earned a doctorate from KU in 1986.

In 2000-2001, he managed Sprint Corp.’s University of Excellence, Executive Business and Leadership Development program in Overland Park.

He was special education director in the Kansas State Department of Education for the past year.

In all, he’s lived in Lawrence for 17 years. His two children recently graduated from KU.