HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The chairman of the State Board of Education said Wednesday he is leaving the board after being asked by Gov. Ed Rendell to give up his leadership post.

Karl Girton’s resignation, effective Aug. 1, follows months of criticism of a board proposal that Pennsylvania students pass a series of tests before they can graduate high school. The 22-member board sets state education policy and regulations for K-12 public schools and higher education.

But Girton and a Rendell spokesman said the resignation was unrelated to controversy over the testing proposal, an initiative championed by Girton and the administration.

Girton, who has served on the board since 1992, said he spoke Friday by telephone with Rendell, who asked him to step down as chairman but stay on the board until the governor leaves office in 2011. After taking the weekend to think it over, Girton decided to leave the board altogether.