Colorado Board of Education Member Joyce Rankin, a Republican from Carbondale, has announced that she will resign her position, effective Jan. 10, 2023.

The decision comes on the heels of husband Bob Rankin’s announcement last week that he will be resigning from the state Senate, also in early January.  

Joyce Rankin has represented the 3rd Congressional District on the Board of Education since August 2015, when she was appointed to fill a mid-term vacancy. She was elected in November 2016 to complete that term and was re-elected for a full six-year term in November 2020.

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“It’s been an honor to serve the children and educators of our state alongside my fellow board members,” Rankin said in a news release. “I’ll always be proud of the board’s collaboration on key issues to support children and educators, especially our commitment to ensuring all students can read at grade level because this is absolutely the foundation for success in school and throughout life.”

Colorado Education Commissioner Katy Anthes praised Rankin for her leadership and support for improving reading rates and helping to shepherd policies to improve reading among Colorado students, including the READ Act.

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“Board Member Rankin’s commitment to the goals of the READ Act and support of scientifically-based reading instruction for teachers will make a positive impact in the lives of children for years to come,” Anthes said in the release. “She has devoted enormous amounts of her time and energy to serving children and educators, visiting schools and libraries throughout her diverse and expansive district.”

The resignations for both Joyce and Bob Rankin will trigger the creation of Republican vacancy committees to fill the two seats.

In the case of the 3rd Congressional District seat on the Board of Education, following the interim appointment there will be an election in November 2023 to fulfill the rest of the term, which ends in January 2027.

Meanwhile, Bob Rankin would have changed over to representing the newly redrawn Senate District 5 in January, which includes the six municipalities in Garfield County, plus all or parts of Pitkin, Eagle, Gunnison, Delta and Hindale counties.

Among the candidates expressing interest in that appointment are state Rep. Perry Will, R-New Castle, who lost his re-election bid to Democrat Elizabeth Velasco of Glenwood Springs in the Nov. 8 election.

Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, who was elected Nov. 8 to a third-term in the Colorado House of Representatives, said in a Monday news release that he would not be seeking an appointment to the Senate District 5 vacancy and would back Will for the post.

A Republican Senate district nominating committee will be charged with filling the vacant Senate seat.