New York State Education Commissioner John King is stepping down to join the Obama administration as senior advisor to Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
King was appointed state education commissioner in May 2011, after serving as deputy commissioner. During his tenure, King pushed for education reform in New York, implementing Common Core standards, one of 46 states to do so.
He also was at the helm when New York began requiring annual teacher evaluations based in part on student performance on Common Core-aligned standardized tests, a position that made him the main target of opposition to both initiatives.
The Common Core standards had support from Governor Andrew Cuomo--who later tried to distance himself from his initial support--but were strongly criticized by parents and teachers across the state.
In a statement, King says he's "humbled and honored" to work with President Barack Obama and Duncan.