Byron
Darnall joined the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE) Office of Educator
Licensure and Effectiveness (OELE) in June 2021. A native of Meade County, he
has served in various education roles in Kentucky and a stint in the Iowa
Department of Education.
Darnall
earned a bachelor’s degree in English from David Lipscomb University, and later
a master’s degree in education from the University of Kentucky. He also earned
his Rank 1 certification from Western Kentucky University and a doctorate in
education leadership from Seton Hall University. Prior to joining KDE, Darnall
served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal in several Kentucky
public schools. From 2012 to 2014 he served as a bureau chief at the Iowa
Department of Education.
Darnall
lives in the Bowling Green area with his wife, Michelle, and their three
children, Greer, Emerson and Anderson.