U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will relinquish the post in December, an Education Department official confirmed Friday. The news was first reported by the Associated Press.
Mr. Duncan has been a mainstay of President Obama’s cabinet, serving as the White House’s top education official since Mr. Obama took office, in 2009.
The AP cites a letter Mr. Duncan sent to department staff members saying he was going to move back to Chicago to live with his family. He was the chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools before he was tapped to lead the Education Department.
According to the letter, Mr. Obama will name John B. King Jr., a senior official in the department, as interim secretary. But, the AP notes, Mr. Obama is not nominating Mr. King for the permanent post.
Read more at The Chronicle of Higher Education: http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/education-secretary-arne-duncan-will-step-down-in-december/105475