Missouri’s top education official to step down June 1

provided by Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Karla Eslinger, the seventh Missouri Commissioner of Education, announced plans May 12 to step down June 1.

Karla Eslinger, a former educator and lawmaker, is stepping down as Missouri commissioner of education after just two years in the role.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced May 12 that Eslinger’s final day will be June 1.

Eslinger said serving in the role has been “one of the greatest honors” of a career that included working as a teacher, principal, superintendent, lawmaker and staff member at DESE.

“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,” Eslinger said, as part of the announcement. “Missouri’s educators are deeply committed to their students, and it has been a privilege to support their work.”

She is only the seventh commissioner of education in the state’s history, but her relatively short tenure included a significant amount of change.

She was appointed by former Gov. Mike Parson and he was succeeded by Gov. Mike Kehoe – whom she served with in the legislature – and Kehoe appointed four new members of the eight-member State Board of Education.

Board President Mary Schrag said Eslinger officially informed the board about her decision during a closed-door meeting May 12. It was not part of the open session but was made public a short time later.

In an interview, Schrag said Eslinger wanted more family time after traveling so much for work. She worked for DESE, provided technical assistance for the U.S. Department of Education, served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2019-2020 and in the Missouri Senate from 2021-2024.

Eslinger outlined her priorities during a 2025 board retreat in Jefferson City, which included upgrading data collection and analysis, offering support to struggling districts and building relationships with parents and educators.

She also requested an annual evaluation – which had not existed for predecessors – and that kickstarted a broader look at how the board does its business. The board created several committees, including governance, to develop a series of goals and an evaluation tool.

“She got so much in a short time and felt really good about what she got done,” Schrag said.

As part of the announcement, Schrag described Eslinger as a “tremendous leader and an advocate for public education.”

“This is a significant loss to the department and for Missouri education,” Schrag said in the release. “I believe she will continue to be a great advocate for public education.”

Several board members have ties to southwest Missouri. Schrag, of West Plains, is married to Springfield Mayor Jeff Schrag. New members include Brooks Miller, former president and CEO of what is now called Jordan Valley Health, and Gretchen Shull, who lives in Webb City.

In the interview, Schrag said her preference is for the board to name an interim commissioner in the coming weeks and then launch a search for a replacement, but the steps need to be determined by the entire governing body.

“This is something that we will do as a board, working together,” she said. “There will be a lot of moving parts for the next little bit, but Karla has left the department in good shape, with strong leadership.”