Kentucky’s first charter school director is resigning less than a year after he was hired.
The Herald Leader reports Earl Simms is resigning so his wife can go back to her previous job in St. Louis.
Before coming to Kentucky, he worked as the director of the Office of Charter Schools in St. Louis for the University of Missouri College of Education.
He said he plans to look for a job in in the area of charter schools when he moves back to Missouri. A spokesperson for the Kentucky Department of Education said that the department has not decided when a new director will be hired.
Charter schools were approved in Kentucky’s 2017 General Assembly session. But lawmakers did not approve a permanent funding mechanism during this session for charter schools.
Supporters say charters can give parents another option and improve student performance. Critics say that charter schools take money away from public school districts.
Simms last day as charter school director is May 25th.