Arne Duncan, President Obama’s first and only education secretary, announced that he’s leaving the post in December.

Duncan said that he’s exiting to spend more time with his family and that it was “time for me to step aside and give a new leader a chance.”

Serving as the country’s top education official since 2009, Duncan has helped to shape Obama’s approach to education as he led the way to creating “Race to the Top,” the administration’s grant program geared towards creating “significant change in our education system.”

As of late, Duncan has been in the news due to student loan debt and the “Corinthian 5,” a group of students looking to have their student loans forgiven.

Duncan has attempted to overhaul how the government handles for-profit institutions and instituted the much maligned Common Core standards.

Duncan is likely the most famous education secretary since Bill Bennett in the 1980s, and Bennett’s profile rose due to his changeover to political pundit.

Obama has announced that he will appoint John B. King Jr., Duncan’s second in command who specializes in elementary and secondary education.

With less than two years left in his tenure as president, Obama isn’t likely looking for a tough battle to confirm a new secretary.

For this one, Duncan and Obama will likely ride off into the sunset together.

I, for one, have always liked Duncan and his approachable way of explaining what the country needs in the way of education. It’s a tough job, no doubt, but he has always handled it as diplomatically as possible.