President Barack Obama plans to soon nominate John B. King Jr. to head the Department of Education, where he has worked as acting secretary since Jan. 4, the White House announced Thursday.
King, a former New York State Commissioner of Education, started working at the Department of Education in 2015, serving as principal senior adviser, and took over as acting secretary after Arne Duncan stepped down at the end of the year, according to The Associated Press.
"Since joining the Department of Education, John has worked to build on the progress our country has made in expanding opportunity for all of our children," Obama said in a statement. "There is nobody better to continue leading our ongoing efforts to work toward preschool for all, prepare our kids so that they are ready for college and career, and make college more affordable. John knows from his own incredible life experience how education can transform a child's future. I look forward to the Senate working in a bipartisan way to confirm John quickly and continuing their work with him to tackle the vital challenges and opportunities that lie ahead."
Obama initially opted to forgo nominating a new secretary in order to avoid a potential clash over education policies with Senate Republicans, who have opposed other nominees.
However, the president apparently changed his mind after speaking to Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate education committee and former Education Secretary under President George H.W. Bush.
"I have urged the president to nominate an education secretary, and I am glad he has done so. John King will receive a prompt and fair hearing in our committee," Alexander said in a statement shortly after the announcement, according to Time.
Alexander added: "For proper accountability, especially as we work with the administration on implementing the new law governing elementary and secondary education, it is important to have in charge of the department a member of the president's cabinet confirmed by the United States Senate."
Lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a sweeping reform of federal education policy in December, rewriting much of the landmark No Child Left Behind education law of 2002 and shifting power back to the states and local districts. But the changes now need to be implemented, which requires the Education Department to craft new regulations, and King's nomination could help move that process along, according to The Washington Post.
