RICHMOND, Va – Governor Glenn Youngkin has hired a Tennessee education official to serve as Virginia’s chief schools officer after the previous employee in that role resigned for reasons the administration has declined to explain.

The Virginia Department of Education said in a news release today that Tennessee Chief Academic Officer Lisa Coons will take over the role of superintendent of public instruction effective April 17th.

Coons’ hiring was announced less than a month after Jillian Balow announced she was stepping down from the post.

Incidentally, Youngkin also announced the appointment of former Shenandoah County Superintendent Jeremy Raley as the Virginia Department of Education’s new chief of staff. Raley is the current Superintendent of Goochland County Public Schools.