Chicago Board of Education picks interim CPS head
Chicago Board of Education picks interim CPS head
The Chicago Board of Education voted to appoint Macquline King as the interim superintendent/CEO of the Chicago Public Schools district on Wednesday.
CHICAGO - The Chicago Board of Education voted to appoint Macquline King as the interim superintendent/CEO of the Chicago Public Schools district on Wednesday.
The board voted 11-8 with one member abstaining.
What we know:
King has 18 years of professional experience in education, most recently as the senior director of education policy for the City of Chicago since 2022, according to a CPS news release.
The Chicago Board of Education voted to appoint Macquline King as the interim superintendent of the Chicago Pubic Schools district on Wednesday. (LinkedIn)
King was the favored candidate of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Two members of the Board of Education, Jennifer Custer and Ellen Rosenfeld told Fox 32's Paris Schutz that there was some pushback from members about reports of King's professional background.
"Ms. King has given me concern, that's true," said Rosenfeld. "There was four incidents she was cited for negligence and I believe that we need an interim [CEO] that has an unblemished record."
Rosenfeld added she doesn't see the interim hire as merely a "placeholder" position.
Custer said the interim CEO has many big decisions coming like the approval of next year's budget and manage the start of the school year.
"This isn't just something that they're gonna come in and just hold down the fort for a little while," she said. "They're going to be making some really influential decisions."
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CPS Board President Sean B. Harden said in a statement:
"Identifying an interim candidate who understands the services, components, concerns, and politics that go along with this role—and how to balance them—was paramount. Similar to the ongoing search for the person who will hold this seat permanently, the Board wants to ensure our interim is a leader who upholds educational excellence, equity, and accountability while also exemplifying the values of CPS stakeholders across the District."
Replacing Martinez
The backstory:
The outgoing district CEO Pedro Martinez is leaving the job this month after he was fired over a disagreement with Johnson whether to take out a loan to finance a new teachers contract.
Martinez was hired in April to lead Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
His last day is June 18
What's next:
King will serve on an interim basis as the board continues to look for a permanent leader, which could take several more months.
Custer said the board anticipates King to serve as interim CEO starting when Martinez leaves until around September or October, when the school year starts.
"What will be the outcome of our superintendent search? We're not entirely sure right now," she said. "The process, obviously, is underway. We've gone through several steps of the process, but, who will we be able to find? When will we be able to find them? That's not a sure answer that we have right now."