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Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason E. Glass announced Monday he will step down from his position on Sept. 29 to become associate vice president of teaching and learning at Western Michigan University.

Glass was hired by the Kentucky Board of Education in 2020 to oversee the state’s K-12 public school system and its 635,000 students. He also acts as superintendent of the Kentucky School for the Blind, the Kentucky School for the Deaf and 53 area technology centers.  His four-year contract does not expire until September 2024.

Glass has been a target of state Republicans for much of 2023 after defending KDE’s previous guidance encouraging districts to honor transgender students’ pronouns and name.

“These past three years have been a remarkable journey and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to return to my home state and serve as commissioner,” Glass said. “I wish to thank the members of the Kentucky Board of Education for their wisdom and leadership, the staff at the Kentucky Department of Education for their exemplary service, and those working in education roles across the state, for their continuing efforts to serve and support all of Kentucky’s children.  I have a heart full of gratitude.”

In a letter to KBE Chair Lu S. Young, Glass said he is, “committed to working diligently to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities and to provide any necessary support to whomever is selected as an interim or new commissioner.

“I am confident that the exceptional team we have built together will continue to lead the charge toward a brighter future for Kentucky’s educational landscape.”

Young said Glass will leave a positive and lasting impact on public education in Kentucky.

“The Kentucky Board of Education selected Dr. Glass to be our commissioner at a very turbulent time in the world,” Young said. “He led deftly through the challenges of the pandemic and two major natural disasters while, at the same time, galvanizing support across schools and communities around a bold new vision for learning and teaching in the Commonwealth.”

The KBE will have a special meeting in mid-August to determine its next steps and a timeline for moving forward with an interim commissioner once Glass leaves, according to Young. She added no action on a commissioner search will be taken at the KBE meeting Wednesday and Thursday at the Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park in Burkesville.