He started as an intern in the Education Department’s school law section in 1973 and worked his way up through the ranks, becoming Missouri’s Commissioner of Education in 1987. Today, 13 years later, Commissioner Bob Bartman is retiring. Bartman says he wants to spend time with his family…and join his wife Karen in Washington, D-C. Governor Carnahan says Bartman has been a tireless advocate for the high performance standards and rigorous assessments now in place…adding his focus has always been on what’s best for Missouri schoolchildren. Deputy Commissioner Kent King has been named acting commissioner as the state board of education begins its search for Bartman’s successor.
