Missouri Education Board Names Interim Commissioner Amid Leadership Shakeup
Missouri’s education board appointed consultant Stacey Preis as interim commissioner Monday and launched a nationwide search for permanent leadership — with a state senator’s name already circulating.
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI — The Missouri State Board of Education on Monday appointed educational consultant Stacey Preis as the state’s interim education commissioner. Preis, a former department official and legislative researcher, will lead the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education during a leadership transition and the implementation of policy changes directed by Gov. Mike Kehoe.
Preis, who previously worked at the department before moving into consulting, told The Missouri Independent she does not intend to pursue the permanent commissioner position but is committed to guiding the agency through the transition period.
Nationwide Search Underway
The board announced a nationwide search for a permanent commissioner and is forming an advisory committee to assist in evaluating candidates. Board President Brooks Miller said the process is expected to take several months.
Miller told The Independent the board is starting the search without a short list of candidates. “We may have somebody right away that just fits the whole bill, and certainly we’re going to look at anybody that does,” he said. “But we also have to do our evaluation of what our needs are, what kind of person we need to hire to fill those needs.”
Miller described the board as “starting from scratch” in its search for permanent leadership.
O’Laughlin’s Name Surfaces as Potential Candidate
One name already being discussed in education and political circles is Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican and former chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee. At a recent event in Macon, O’Laughlin appeared to signal interest in the role.
“I am always available if the education establishment wants to take advantage of my willingness to work with them to make education better,” O’Laughlin said at the event, according to The Missouri Independent.
Agency Navigates Policy Overhaul
The leadership change comes as the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education faces a series of significant policy directives from Gov. Kehoe. The scope and timeline of those changes have placed added pressure on the agency as it manages the transition to new leadership.
Preis began work as interim commissioner on Monday, according to The Missouri Independent, stepping into the role as the board works to define what qualities and qualifications it will prioritize in selecting a long-term leader for the state’s education agency.
