WASHINGTON — The Senate narrowly voted Monday to confirm John B. King Jr. as the nation’s education secretary.
The vote was 49-40. King has served as acting secretary at the Education Department since Arne Duncan stepped down in December.
As secretary, King will oversee the department as it puts in place a bipartisan education law passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama in December. The measure revamps the widely criticized No Child Left Behind Act and substantially limits the federal government’s role in public schools.
Obama nominated King last month. After the vote, Obama said King “will continue to lead our efforts to work toward high-quality preschool for all, prepare our kids for college and a career, make college more affordable, and protect Americans from the burdens of student debt.”
King is a former high school social studies teacher. He also founded a charter school and served as New York State’s education commissioner. The Associated Press
