Both a Missouri State University College of Education alumna and the current Missouri commissioner of education, Dr. Karla Eslinger has dedicated more than 30 years to educational success.
For her accomplishments and contributions, the Missouri State University Alumni Association honored her with the 2025 Bears of Distinction Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Affairs. She joined other award recipients at the April 26 Bears of Distinction Dinner and Awards Banquet.
Commitment to education and Missouri
Although her recognition extends beyond the state, Eslinger has devoted her educational and political career to Missouri. She gained her bachelor’s degree from College of the Ozarks in elementary education.
Before receiving her master’s degree, she served as an elementary school teacher for 10 years. She considers her time as a teacher to be a unique one.
“I’ve been blessed to have so many great opportunities throughout my career,” she said. “But that first day I walked in and had 30-some first and second graders in my own classroom, and thought ‘Now I’m going to teach,’ was a pretty special moment.”
She gained her master’s degree in educational administration (1992) and a specialist in education, educational administration-superintendent (1999) from Missouri State. She then gained her doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from University of Missouri-Columbia (2010).
She has worked as a principal and superintendent in Ava and West Plains.
Since her time as a student and educator, Eslinger has held a variety of positions. One of her roles included providing technical assistance to the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. She worked with school districts in Boston, Houston and Los Angeles.
Eslinger was also an elected official twice. From 2019-21, she represented District 155 in the Missouri House of Representatives. She also represented District 33 in the Missouri Senate from 2021-24.
She was eligible for a second term in the Senate but turned it down to become the Missouri commissioner of education for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. She felt she could make a greater difference in this position.
“There comes a point in your life where you say, ‘Where can I truly have the biggest impact? Where can I really do the most good for the profession I love, for the state I love?’ And it looked to me like there was an opportunity here.”
Earlier this year, Eslinger was named one of the USA Today 2025 Women of the Year alongside 60 others across the country inspiring the next generation.
She and her husband David have lived on their family farm in Wasola for many years and have run a small business for over 35 years.
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