Dive Brief:
- Terry Holliday, Kentucky's fifth education commissioner, announced Wednesday that he will retire August 31.
- Roger Marcum, chairman of the Kentucky State Board of Education, says a national search will likely be conducted for a replacement.
- Holliday previously served as a district superintendent in North Carolina and has been credited with raising Kentucky's education achievement. When he came into office in 2009, he oversaw the implementation of Senate Bill 1, which called for new standards, aligned assessments, and a fairer accountability system, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Dive Insight:
Among Holliday's final actions as ed commissioner was his push for the Kentucky Rising program, which allows high school graduates to earn an enhanced diploma with benefits such as scholarships and early college admission. "I think it's going to be a critical initiative for economic development in our state," Holliday told Kentucky.com in December.
Under Holliday's watch, Kentucky has become known as a "rare Common Core success story."
