After 20 years serving under four governors, Maryland State Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick has announced that she is retiring.
Grasmick, 72, the nation’s longest-serving appointed state schools chief, met with officials in Annapolis, including some from Gov. Martin O’Malley’s staff, this morning to inform them of her decision, Maryland Department of Education spokesman Bill Reinhard confirmed to EdWeek. She will step down June 30, with a year remaining on her contract, Reinhard said.
In an official statement, Grasmick said that she was honored to have served Maryland, but did not address her reasons for leaving. Reinhard would not address the question of why Grasmick chose to leave with a year remaining on her contract rather than completing her term.
Grasmick hasn’t always been on the warmest terms with Gov. O’Malley. He was peeved that the state school board renewed her contract over his opposition. And they didn’t always see eye to eye on how the state was going after Race to the Top money, either, though the state ultimately did so, and successfully.
Photo: Nancy Grasmick (AP)