Missouri's commissioner of education, who has led the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education since 2024, will retire at the start of next month.
Karla Eslinger will step down from the state's top job in K-12 education on June 1 after the Missouri State Board of Education accepted her retirement on Tuesday.
"Serving as Missouri's Commissioner of Education has been one of the greatest honors of my career," Eslinger said in a statement. "Over the past two years, I am incredibly proud of the progress we've made — enhancing how we use data to guide decisions, strengthening communication with partners, and laying the groundwork for a strategic plan — that will continue to benefit students and educators long after my tenure. Missouri's educators are deeply committed to their students, and it has been a privilege to support their work."
Eslinger served in a variety of educational roles in a career that spanned more than 30 years. She started her career as an elementary teacher and then served as a principal and superintendent of Ava and West Plains. From there, she worked in Missouri's Elementary and Secondary Education Department as an assistant commissioner in the Office of Educator Quality.
Before being selected by the State Board of Education to lead DESE in 2024, the Republican served nearly six years in the Missouri General Assembly, representing south-central Missouri.
"As president of the Missouri State Board of Education, I have had the chance to see Dr. Eslinger in a variety of educational positions, as well as working in the state legislature, she has always been a tremendous leader and an advocate for public education," board President Mary Schrag said in a statement. "This is a significant loss to the department and for Missouri education. I believe she will continue to be a great advocate for public education."
In the news release announcing Eslinger's retirement, DESE said it plans to release more information about the transition in the coming weeks.
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