The head of Kentucky's public schools has been elected to lead a national panel of state school officers.

The Kentucky Department of Education says in a news release that Terry Holliday was elected president of the Council of Chief State School Officers' Board of Directors for 2013-14.

The nonpartisan group advocates for public education issues nationwide.

Holliday, who has been Kentucky's education commissioner since 2009, has been on the council's board for two years.

He holds positions with other national education policy groups as well.