Gov. Matt Bevin’s one-time political rival Hal Heiner, resigned Monday as the cabinet Secretary of Education and Workforce Development, and has accepted the governor’s appointment to the Kentucky Board of Education.

“I am grateful for Sec. Heiner’s skilled and selfless leadership of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet over these past two and a half years,” said Gov. Matt Bevin in a news release. “He has overseen a pivotal time of transformation, as we strengthen Kentucky’s education system and modernize workforce training. I appreciate his willingness to continue serving Kentucky in a less time-intensive, but very important role as a member of the state Board of Education. In his new role, I am confident he will work to ensure that every K-12 student in the Commonwealth has the best possible opportunity for success.”

The Kentucky Board of Education develops and adopts the regulations that govern Kentucky’s public school districts and the actions of the Kentucky Department of Education. The Board is comprised of 11 voting members, each appointed by the Governor to serve four-year terms, as well as the president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, who serves in an ex-officio non-voting capacity.

Heiner has been a vocal advocate of charter schools in Kentucky.

The Louisville Republican was appointed to Bevin’s cabinet appointment in December 2015, since that time Heiner has overseen implementation of Work Ready Kentucky Scholarships, Dual Credit Scholarships, and the $100-million Work Ready Skills Initiative.

“It has been a highlight of my career to serve as Secretary of the Education and Workforce Cabinet,” Heiner said in the release. “Kentucky has made incredible strides in the areas of workforce readiness and education during these last two-and-a-half years, and I am confident that that gains will continue to be made. There is, however, work still to be done, and I look forward to focusing my time and energy on students at the elementary and secondary levels as a member of the Board of Education. Test scores and other academic achievement indicators must be improved across the state, and I look forward to working with the Board to provide all Kentucky students, regardless of wealth or zip code, with educational opportunities designed to meet their specialized learning needs and prepare them for success in college and careers.”