NJ education commissioner leaving post to lead Kean University

New Jersey's education commissioner is stepping down to become president of one of his alma maters.

The Kean University Board of Trustees on Monday unanimously approved Lamont Repollet, of Somerset, as the school's next leader. He'll take office July 1, succeeding outgoing President Dawood Farahi, and will receive a $365,000 salary.

Repollet earned his master's degree in educational administration from Kean and has held several teaching and administrative posts, including principal of Carteret High School.

He also was superintendent of the Asbury Park School District from 2014 until 2018, a post where he earned $175,000 a year.

In addition to his Kean master's degree, Repollet received his Bachelor of Arts in communication from The College of New Jersey and a Doctorate in Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Gov. Phil Murphy appointed Repollet as education commissioner in 2018.

“Dr. Repollet was one of the first Cabinet appointments I announced, and he quickly distinguished himself as a strong and capable educational leader. For the past nearly 30 months, as Commissioner, he has provided sound oversight and counsel to more than 600 diverse local education agencies across our state," Murphy said in a written statement.

Murphy continued “During his tenure, he managed the expansion of pre-K across New Jersey, grew STEM opportunities for thousands of students, and facilitated changes to our statewide testing regime. He helped ensure the equitable distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars in new school aid. And, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he has helped our educators and students navigate the challenges of transitioning to remote learning and worked diligently to ensure that our school communities continue to receive the supports they need.

It's not yet known who will take over for Repollet when he leaves his state post or when a permanent successor will be named.

Farahi announced his plans to step down at the start of the academic year. He has served as Kean's president for 17 years, a time that saw the university rapidly expand and add new programs and buildings.

Repollet lives in Somerset with his wife and their two daughters.

(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

More from WOBM News: