Search for Kentucky’s next education commissioner hits delay

The search for Kentucky’s next education commissioner will be delayed, officials said Monday.

The Kentucky Board of Education voted at a special meeting Monday to post a new request for proposals to identify a firm to lead the search for Kentucky’s new commissioner of education.

Former Kentucky Commissioner of Education Jason Glass left his position on Sept. 29 to become associate vice president of teaching and learning at Western Michigan University. Robin Kinney is Kentucky’s interim commissioner and is not in the running for the permanent position.

State board member Steve Trimble, leader of the board’s request for proposals evaluation committee, said committee members met November 2 to discuss the bids they received and determined it would not be in the best interest of Kentucky to award a contract as a result of the responses reviewed. He did not elaborate.

KBE Chair Sharon Porter Robinson said due to strict limitations contained in state law, members of the request for proposals evaluation committee are limited in what they can discuss.

The reposted request for proposals must be open for responses for a minimum of seven business days, although a longer period of time is possible. Once the vendor is selected, processing of a contract can take up to 30 days.

The Kentucky Department of Education is not able to identify how many search firms applied or provide any other specifics about the request for proposals at this time, spokesperson Toni Konz Tatman told the Herald-Leader.

“Although we know this action will delay the search for our next commissioner, the Kentucky Board of Education is committed to conducting a search that leads them to the best option for our public school students,” said Tatman.

She said state board members are hopeful a qualified search firm will be identified soon and the work will begin as soon as possible.

Tatman did not know how long the delay will take.

Under a new state law, the General Assembly will have to approve the new education commissioner. It convenes January 2, 2024.