Kentucky Department of Education's interim leader begins first week on job

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- With several leaders in just four years, between interim and permanent leaders, the Kentucky Department of Education has another temporary head.

This week marks Robin Fields Kinney's first on the job as interim commissioner of education.

Kinney formerly served as associate commissioner of the Office of Finance and Operations for KDE. She also served a short stint as interim commissioner in 2019.

She takes over former commissioner Jason Glass' role.

"Your charge is really to keep the train on the tracks and keep progress moving," Kinney said.

Glass said he left because of controversial laws passed this most recent legislative session.

"I think it's terrible and embarrassing policy for the state of Kentucky, and I'm not going to be part of carrying it out," Glass said his last week in office.

Glass said his decision to step down had to do with Senate Bills 150 and 107.

SB 150 does not require staff to use students' preferred pronouns and limits the teaching of certain sex-related topics in schools.

SB 107 required the commissioner of education to be subject for Senate confirmation.

"To draw attention to it and say, this is wrong," Glass said. "It's embarrassing, and we need to really reevaluate the decisions our legislators have made on this. I felt like this is the most significant, disruptive thing I could do."

Kinney may stay in the interim role for some time, and she is prepared to do so. Although, recent history shows Kentucky's education commissioner changes with the governor mansion, and that job is up for grabs in November.

This means Kinney may be the front voice in the next legislative session, dealing with lawmakers on school spending.

"I feel very comfortable talking with legislators about the budget of K-12 education," Kinney said. "Let them [lawmakers] know KDE is here to answer their questions, provide data and really [most] importantly to make sure they don’t make uniformed decisions that we can help prevent unintended consequences.”

Kinney will not be a candidate for the permanent replacement. Until then, she is carrying the torch until someone new is at the head of the class.

"They want someone that can be around for awhile," Kinney said.

The commissioner oversees the state's K-12 school system and its 635,000 students, as well as acts as superintendent of the Kentucky School for the Blind, the Kentucky School for the Deaf and 53 area technology centers.

KDE will hire a firm to help in the search for a permanent commissioner.

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