Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass finalist for out-of-state post

Kentucky's top education official is a finalist for a new gig in Maryland.

Education Commissioner Jason Glass is one of four finalists to run the 111,000-student Baltimore County public school system, Kentucky Department of Education spokesperson Toni Konz Tatman confirmed Friday morning.

Glass, a Meade County native, has been commissioner since mid-2020. He previously served in superintendent and state education department roles in Colorado and Iowa, along with teaching in a few Kentucky colleges and Hazard's public schools.

Some Kentucky Republicans have turned his name into a political rallying cry in recent months after Glass defended a KDE guidance document that encouraged teachers - but did not require them - to use transgender students' preferred names and pronouns, along with saying teachers unwilling to follow a district's policy should find a new line of work.

Recent political attacks had "zero impact" on Glass' decision to look for other roles, Tatman said.

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“Serving as Commissioner in my home state of Kentucky has been an incredible professional honor and I am grateful to the Kentucky Board of Education for giving me this opportunity. Even in the hard times, I have loved every minute of it," Glass said in a statement.

"At this point in my career, I am seeking a place where our family can put down roots and where I can have a long-term and meaningful impact on an educational system. I look forward to the next steps in the process.”

Kentucky Board of Education Chair Lu Young said in a statement, “I hate to think about Dr. Glass leaving Kentucky.

"He has been an outstanding, visionary leader who has begun really important work here," Young said.  "My fellow Kentucky Board of Education members and I have sincerely enjoyed our partnership with Commissioner Glass and we do not want to see him go. While we understand that he is pursuing other opportunities in the best interest of his family, losing him poses a serious challenge for our board."

This story may be updated.

Reach Olivia Krauth at okrauth@courierjournal.com and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason Glass finalist for Maryland post