The Missouri state school board has chosen State Senator and former Assistant Commissioner of Education Dr. Karla Eslinger to be the next commissioner of education.

The board made its decision today, naming Eslinger to succeed Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven when she steps down June 1.

“I’m honored,” Sen. Eslinger said to the board and the audience in the board room in Jefferson City. “This is an opportunity to work with you, parents and legislators on what I think is the most important work of our state: Education.”

The choice of Eslinger came with the endorsement from Vandeven, who worked with Eslinger for more than a decade at DESE.

“I’ve seen her proven leadership,” Vandeven said at the board meeting. “I’ve seen her commitment to the children of Missouri.”

Vandeven is stepping down June 1 after nearly 20 years with DESE. She was appointed as Missouri’s commissioner of education in 2014, serving in that role through 2017, then being reappointed in 2019.

Vandeven promised to support “the smoothest transition” and “do whatever we can to set Dr. Eslinger up for success.”

Eslinger will be taking over an education system that, as she noted, has been “unsettled” and suffered “disruption” from the impact of Covid-19. She pledged to work together “with all of our collective resources” to build on the work led by Vandeven, she said

Eslinger spoke to some of her beliefs and how she expects to take on her new role.

“I believe in good schools,” she said. “I believe in parent choice.” She supports “rural schools and urban schools.” She wants to be “transparent” and see that “all voices are heard.”

“I’m not a reformer or a public schools supporter” or other category of advocate that comes “with preconceived notions,” she said.

“I do believe in people,” she said. “I truly love to learn. I’m not fearful. I’m not naive. Our kids are unique and we have to work in unique ways.”

In her Senate profile, Eslinger is described as a lifelong educator with more than 30 years of experience in a variety of educational settings.

She has been a senior analyst for education services with the AEM Corporation and provided technical assistance to the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. She began her career as an elementary school teacher and rose to principal and superintendent of schools in Ava and West Plains.

She earned a bachelor degree in elementary education from The College of the Ozarks. She earned her master’s degree at Missouri State University and received her doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

In the legislature, Eslinger, a Republican from Wasola, served in the Missouri House of Representatives District 155 from 2019 to 2020, then won her Senate seat for District 133 in 2020. She will complete her current Senate term before moving into the commissioner role June 1.