[5][6] Governor Peter Shumlin (D) appointed Holcombe Secretary of Education in the fall of 2013, replacing interim commissioner Armando Vilaseca.

[7] Holcombe’s tenure coincided with a period of significant legislative change and new demands on Vermont’s Education System.

In 2013, the Vermont General Assembly passed legislation relating to flexible pathways,[8] universal subsidies for Pre-K,[9] and approved new Education Quality Standards.

[13] After Phil Scott (R) was sworn in as governor, he chose Holcombe as his secretary of education and reappointed her to the position.

[18][19] Holcombe also led the development of policy supporting transgender students [20] and spoke against bigotry in the community.

[21] On March 27, 2018, Scott announced Holcombe's resignation from her role as Vermont Secretary of Education, effective April 1, 2018.

[14][17] After Holcombe's resignation, some school boards reportedly asked the state to slow down work on the implementation of Act 46.

Scott’s administration because I took him at his word that he was serious about working to make Vermont more affordable and more equitable [...] I resigned when I realized that was just talk.”[29] The other two candidates in the Democratic Party primary were Progressive/Democrat Lt.