Preferred candidate chosen for KY education commissioner, but officials won’t release name

The Kentucky Board of Education on Tuesday entered into contract negotiations with the preferred candidate for the next commissioner of education, but would not release the name of the selected candidate.

Finalists Jim Flynn, Buddy Berry and Robbie Fletcher, all who have been superintendents in Kentucky, did not immediately say whether they were the preferred candidate.

The Kentucky Board of Education authorized the KBE Chair Sharon Porter Robinson to enter into contract negotiations, according to a news release Tuesday.

The proposed negotiated contract will be presented to the full board for approval at a future special called meeting.

If the contract is approved, the name of the selected candidate will be announced.

The state board intends to name a new commissioner and submit that individual to the Kentucky Senate for confirmation by the end of March.

In February, the Kentucky Department of Education did not release the names of the 15 initial applicants.

The 2023 General Assembly passed a law that, for the first time, requires the Republican-led Kentucky Senate, to confirm the appointment of Education Commissioner.

This is a developing story and will be updated.