Four months after Gov. Rendell nominated her for a spot on the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, Heidi A. Ramirez yesterday was confirmed by the state Senate.

Ramirez, 33, who directs the Urban Education Collaborative in Temple University's College of Education, is the first Latina to serve on the five-person board that oversees the district.

"I am more anxious than ever to get started," said Ramirez, who spent the day in Harrisburg on standby, in case the senators had questions.

In the end, they did not, and Ramirez's appointment was approved unanimously, said Chuck Ardo, a Rendell spokesman.

Although details of a formal swearing-in ceremony have not been finalized, Ramirez said she expects to attend tomorrow's commission meeting. That meeting is a planning session in which no votes will be taken.

"We're very excited about her joining the commission and being up to a full complement again," said SRC Chairwoman Sandra Dungee Glenn. "She's an excellent choice."

She said that in selecting Ramirez, Rendell "recognized the importance of her lifelong efforts on behalf of children and the high caliber we can expect of her contributions in this role."

The School Reform Commission has been operating with four members since former chairman James Nevels stepped down in September.

Dungee Glenn said she expects Ramirez will be sworn in in time for the commission's voting session on March 19.

A specialist in urban education, Ramirez said she is looking forward to getting to work and learning more about programs and policies in the district's schools.

"I have got a lot of homework to do," said Ramirez who has multiple degrees in education and sociology from Harvard, Stanford and Syracuse Universities.

When Rendell announced the nomination in early November, he said that several people had recommended Ramirez for the spot, including Mayor Nutter and his wife, Lisa.

Commission members serve without pay.

Ramirez, who has been at Temple for slightly more than 2 1/2 years, directs a collaborative that connects the university's education and human-development departments with schools and districts on education reform issues.

Yesterday was the final day the state Senate could act on the Ramirez nomination. If the vote had not come by day's end, Ramirez's appointment would have taken effect automatically by state law.

Her name was among a dozen Rendell nominations to boards, councils and commissions the senate approved yesterday by a 47-0 vote, Senate records show.

The School Reform Commission was established by the law that led to the state takeover of the city schools in December 2001. The governor's appointments to the commission are subject to Senate approval.

Latinos account for 17 percent of 172,000-students attending city schools. The district has not had a Latino on its governing board since 2001, when Pedro Ramos, the former president of the Board of Education, left as the state took over the district and replaced the board with the commission.