Arne Duncan through the years

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Education Secretary Arne Duncan at the White House on Oct. 2, 2015, after announcing that Duncan will be stepping down in December. Obama has appointed senior Education Department official John King Jr., center, to oversee the department.

President Barack Obama talks about outgoing Education Secretary Arne Duncan and nominee John King Jr. on Oct. 2, 2015, at the White House.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan speaks during a town hall meeting with President Barack Obama on Sept. 14, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa.

President Barack Obama watches as Education Secretary Arne Duncan speaks during a town hall meeting on college accessibility on Sept. 14, 2015, at North High School in Des Moines, Iowa.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan visits with young student Mario Corona, 6, in kindergarten at McGlone Elementary School on May 14, 2015, in the Montbello section of Denver as the Obama administration gives seven more states and the District of Columbia more flexibility from the requirements of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind education law.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan walks through a small group of protesters on his way to an event about financial literacy at Ariel Community Academy in Chicago on March 12, 2015.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, right, listens to student Collin Bendinelli on Feb. 5, 2014, during a workshop on FAFSA, or free application for federal student aid, at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan speaks at the National Press Club in Washington on Sept. 30, 2013, where he addressed education policy, reform efforts and financial challenges.

Wheeling High School senior Alfredo Rocha, right, shows U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan how a special microscope works during Duncan’s tour of the Nano Laboratory on Oct. 24, 2013, at Wheeling High School.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel walk toward the State Higher Education Executive Office before a conference at the Westin Hotel in Chicago on Aug. 9, 2012.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, from left, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Dr. Clifford Stanley testifiy June 28, 2011, before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security about the DREAM Act in Washington, D.C.

Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel and U.S Secretary of Education Arne Duncan talk during the Ounce of Prevention Fund’s “It’s Good Business to Invest in Young Children” annual luncheon at the Hilton Towers in Chicago on April 13, 2011.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan greets guests after taking part in an event reading to schoolchildren at the Education Department on Aug. 18, 2009, in Washington, D.C.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan, left, listens as Marian Robinson, mother of first lady Michelle Obama, reads books to children gathered at the Education Department in Washington on July 22, 2009, during a “Read to the Top!” summer reading program.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan, left, addresses the media after he was tapped by President-elect Barack Obama to be his choice for education secretary during a news conference at the Dodge Renaissance Academy on Dec. 16, 2008, in Chicago.

Arne Duncan, head of Chicago Public Schools, speaks after being nominated secretary of education by President-elect Barack Obama at a news conference at Dodge Renaissance Academy on Dec. 16, 2008, in Chicago.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan works with police and community leaders to distribute backpacks Aug. 19, 2008, in the neighborhood of Bowen High School, encouraging students to show up for first day of school.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich talks about funding public schools with Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan, right, during an event at the Nettelhorst School on March 8, 2007, in Chicago.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, second from left, and Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan, third from left, jump into the refurbished pool at Harper High School in Chicago on June 5, 2006. Jackson was heavily involved in raising funds for the renovations at the school.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan discusses national board certification for teachers and raising teacher quality in Chicago public schools at an editorial board meeting at the Chicago Tribune on March 10, 2005.

Jelaine Binford, an information technology and data processing teacher at Curie Metro High School, is surprised by Arne Duncan, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, as he tells her she is one of the Golden Apple Award winners on March 10, 2004. Binford has been teaching for 32 years and has been at Curie High School since the school opened in 1973.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan visits with members of the South Shore High School Junior ROTC program March 4, 2003.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan chats with children as he waits to be called onstage Sept. 1, 2002, during an appearance at a back-to-school rally at Armitage Baptist Church in the Logan Square neighborhood.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan speaks to members of the Whitney Young Magnet High School varsity cheerleading squad Oct. 31, 2002, after a news conference where Duncan asked students to reach out to 10 registered voters to get them to vote in a program called “Freedom’s Answer Day.” The goal of the program is to produce the largest voter turnout ever in Chicago in a nonpresidential election.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan works in a room behind the City Council chambers June 12, 2002, minutes before appearing before the council’s Education Committee to talk about the federal No Child Left Behind law that goes into effect next school year.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan names members of a new Chicago Public Schools management team Aug. 9, 2001, at Clark Elementary School.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan gets down to business in his office Dec. 11, 2001, at the Loop administrative headquarters for the school system.

Arne Duncan is hugged by John West, executive administrator to the CEO, after Duncan was announced as the new CEO of Chicago Public Schools on June 25, 2001.

Arne Duncan speaks to reporters June 25, 2001, after Mayor Richard Daley announced his appointment as Chicago Public Schools’ new CEO.