LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Kentucky lawmaker congratulated Brian Yearwood as the newest superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools a day after the school board said it voted to appoint one of the two finalists.

Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, said Friday on Facebook that he already reached out to Yearwood and "offered friendship and support."

Earlier this month, the Jefferson County School Board announced Yearwood and Ben Shuldiner as the top two candidates to replace outgoing Superintendent Marty Pollio, who is leaving July 1 to become president of Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana .

JCPS said Thursday night it voted to approve one of the finalists but wanted to wait until contract negotiations were finished before announcing the new superintendent.

Yearwood served as superintendent of Columbia Public Schools in Missouri from 2021 until the end of 2024. District leaders there said he helped improve student performance, however, his departure in December raised questions. A copy of his separation agreement shows Yearwood received more than $667,000 in a contract buyout . He cited retirement, but neither he nor the district has commented further due to a confidentiality clause in the agreement.

"The district made the separation agreement public in November following a unanimous vote by the Board of Education," said Michelle Baumstark, chiefs communications officer for Columbia Public Schools. "It was a mutually agreed separation.

"Dr. Yearwood indicated he would be retiring from CPS and provided attorneys that language. Many retire from public education and go on to do other things following their retirement. The Missouri public education retirement system also allows you to go on to other states and continue to work in public education."

Nemes, who's led the charge in Frankfort to appoint of special task force investigate JCPS and even hinted at splitting the district up to solve its "epic failure," said he's supporting and praying for Yearwood.

"There are 95,000 kids in JCPS and they need a strong public school system," he wrote on Facebook. "Right now the schools are terribly underperforming academically and concerning safety for our students and teachers. We will have a lot of questions and support is not blind, but, for the sake of our kids, my fervent hope is that our new superintendent leads us to improve JCPS."

Yearwood was also scheduled to appear as one of three finalists for the superintendent position in the Christina School District in Wilmington, Delaware, but that district has chosen a new superintendent.

Ben Shuldiner and Dr. Harold Brian Yearwood are the two finalists vying to lead Jefferson County Public Schools.