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Missouri interim Education Commissioner Stacey Preis resigned Tuesday after four months in the role, amid speculation she could be dismissed and debate over the state’s planned A-F school ratings. Preis said she was not directly told to resign; the State Board of Education has not publicly named a successor, and reports that state Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin may be considered remain speculation.
Missouri interim Education Commissioner Stacey Preis resigned Tuesday after four months in the post, amid speculation she might be removed and continuing disagreement over the state’s planned A-F ratings for public schools. Preis said she stepped down after consideration because she believed the State Board of Education’s agenda would be better served by a different commissioner, and said no one had directly told her to resign.
Preis announced her resignation while the State Board of Education was meeting in closed session. She did not deny that her position had been uncertain, but said no board member had told her she would be voted out if she did not resign. Asked whether anyone else had suggested she should leave, she replied, “No, not directly.” Board President Brooks Miller said he had not intended to fire her and could not explain why she chose to resign.
The departure follows a dispute over when to release the state’s new A-F grade cards. At the September board meeting, Preis and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education officials recommended delaying their release after school administrators asked for time to review preliminary ratings and the methods behind them. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s executive order had called for a public rollout by Sept. 30. The system has also faced financial and staffing limits that have prevented its full implementation this year, according to the report.
Preis questioned the usefulness of layering another rating framework onto existing school-performance measures. The grades were requested by Kehoe in January, but school officials have raised concerns that the ratings may not accurately reflect student performance. Preis said the department would try to make the system work, while also saying schools need more support and resources.
A-F Ratings Remain a Flashpoint
The resignation leaves a leadership vacancy at the state agency responsible for public education as Missouri works through a consequential change in how schools will be publicly rated. School leaders sought time to inspect the preliminary scores, while the state’s rollout schedule and the system’s capacity have already come under scrutiny. A change in commissioner could affect how the department communicates with districts and carries out the ratings, although the available reporting does not establish that the dispute caused Preis’s resignation.
The ratings could shape how families, policymakers and communities assess schools. Preis argued that schools need support, not only judgment and grades, underscoring the tension between public accountability and whether the new measures fairly describe school performance. The precise consequences of the delay, including a revised release date, were not reported.
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How Preis Took the Interim Role
Preis became interim commissioner in May after Karla Eslinger retired suddenly. In June, Preis said she did not intend to seek the permanent position but wanted to help advance department priorities, including the A-F grade-card system. Her resignation came four months into the interim appointment.
Meanwhile, speculation has focused on Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, as a possible successor. O’Laughlin has not publicly announced that she is seeking the job, and the board has not identified her as a candidate. In June, she said she was available to work with the education establishment to improve education. The governor’s office said the State Board has authority to hire the commissioner and that Kehoe has confidence in the board’s judgment. State law requires the commissioner to have educational attainment and broad experience in public-school administration.
“One additional system laid on top of another and another.”
— Stacey Preis, on the A-F ratings
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Successor and Ratings Timeline Unsettled
The reporting does not establish whether Preis’s resignation was connected to the A-F ratings dispute or to pressure over her job. She said no one had directly urged her to resign, and Miller said he had not planned to fire her. The reason for the timing remains unclear.
O’Laughlin’s possible appointment is speculation: she has not declared a bid, the board has not publicly named her as a candidate, and she did not respond to a request for comment. It is also unclear who will serve as commissioner next, when the board will choose a replacement, and when the school grades will be released. The report gives no revised publication schedule.
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Board Must Choose a Commissioner
The State Board of Education is responsible for hiring the commissioner, according to the governor’s office. It will need to determine how to fill the position following Preis’s departure; the source report does not say whether an interim replacement has been appointed or when the board expects to act.
The department and board also face decisions about the A-F grade cards, including the timing of public release and how districts can review the ratings and calculation methods. Until officials announce a schedule and a successor, both the leadership change and the grading system’s next steps remain unsettled.
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Key Questions
Why did Stacey Preis resign?
Preis said she resigned after consideration because she believed the board’s agenda would be better served by a different commissioner. She said no one had directly told her to step down. The precise reason for her timing remains unclear.
Was Preis fired?
No. Preis resigned. Board President Brooks Miller said he had not intended to fire her, and Preis said no one had directly told her she would be removed.
What is the dispute over Missouri’s A-F school ratings?
The state plans to grade public schools using A-F cards. Preis and department officials recommended delaying release after administrators sought time to review preliminary ratings and the calculation methods. The system has also faced financial and staffing constraints, and some school officials question whether it will accurately reflect student performance.
Could Cindy O’Laughlin become the next commissioner?
She has been mentioned in speculation, but has not publicly said she is seeking the position. The State Board has not named her as a candidate, and the governor’s office said the board has authority to hire the commissioner.
When will Missouri release the A-F ratings?
The report does not give a new release date. Kehoe’s executive order called for a public rollout by Sept. 30, but officials recommended a delay and no revised schedule was reported.
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