Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen will leave her post in January for a position at a national nonprofit organization focused on teaching.
McQueen's departure for the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, focused on aiding districts in training, attracting and supporting teachers, means she will not stay on as commissioner in Gov.-elect Bill Lee's administration.
She faced a possible uncertain future after the transition from Gov. Bill Haslam to Lee.
McQueen started the job in January 2015 after leading Lipscomb University's College of Education.
During her time as commissioner, she has led the state in creating new state standards for students, increased ACT scores and developed the state's plan to address a new federal education law.
Her tenure has focused heavily on early literacy for education.
But her struggles to get the state's TNReady statewide assessment headlined much of her time as education chief.
McQueen said her time as education commissioner has been the honor of a lifetime.
“I am proud to see what our students and educators have accomplished in these last four years and know we have laid a strong foundation for continued success," she said in a statement. "Through my new role with NIET, I will continue to be an advocate for Tennessee’s teachers and work to make sure every child is in a class led by an excellent teacher every day.”
In her role as CEO of the national nonprofit, she is expected to work with more than 250,000 educators and 2.5 million students, according to a news release about the announcement. The institute works with schools, districts, states, and universities to support teachers and school leaders.