ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- John King Jr. is stepping down as New York's education commissioner for a post in the Obama administration.

The Department of Education says Wednesday that King will leave his state position at the end of the year to be senior adviser to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

King was appointed commissioner in May 2011 and oversaw a series of major and often contested reforms, including implementation of the Common Core Learning Standards intended to better prepare students for college and careers.

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.

In a statement, King says he's "humbled and honored" to work with President Barack Obama and Duncan.

AP-WF-12-10-14 2258GMT

свернуть