Balow steps down as State Superintendent

One-time Hulett teacher Jillian Balow announced on Thursday that she is stepping down from her role as State Superintendent of Public Instruction to take on a matching role in Virginia.

“I am honored, and deeply humbled, to announce that Virginia Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin has asked me to serve as Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction. With a focused drive to lead on the front lines of educational transformation in this country, I have accepted,” she said in a statement.

“Therefore, I announce my resignation from the office of Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Serving as State Superintendent for the last seven years has been the greatest honor and challenge of my life.” 

Balow explained her motivations is to continue her personal goals at what she believes to be a critical time for K-12 education governance in the United States. Virginia, she said, is on the cutting edge of the battle for the future of public schools.

“The work we will do to restore parents’ voices in education, push for innovation and student success, enhance school choice, and to eliminate political ideology from the classroom will set a new tone in Virginia and the nation. We have made great progress on these very items during my tenure in Wyoming,” she said.

Balow described her accomplishments as State Superintendent towards those goals, such as including parents in policy making decisions, passing computer science education requirements for K-12 schools, modernizing the curriculum and supporting legislation to increase the opportunity for charter schools in Wyoming.

“And when it comes to politics in the classroom, I’ve made my position crystal clear that partisan politics and radical theories should not be forced upon our children,” she said.

Balow’s career began in Hulett as a teacher, which led to a 25-year career in education and politics.

“I have served in leadership positions of national education organizations and led through COVID-19 with the highest percentage of students learning in-person in the nation,” she said.

“I am ready and more motivated than ever to engage at this critical time in our nation’s history serving alongside Governor-elect Youngkin as he leads Virginia through this historic opportunity to reset and restore public education with parents and students as the priority.”

Balow’s resignation is effective January 16. The Republican Central Committee will have 15 days to submit three candidates for consideration, after which Governor Mark Gordon will have five days to appoint her replacement to serve for the rest of her term.

“I have enjoyed working alongside Superintendent Balow for the past seven years in my roles as Treasurer and Governor, making her the second-longest currently serving statewide elected officer. We will miss her experience and expertise,” said Gordon.

“She has worked to improve our state’s education system, and I thank her for her efforts. Her service to the State has been exemplary, and I wish her well in her new role.”