CHICAGO (WLS) — As the school year winds down, time is ticking to name a new Chicago Public Schools CEO.
Although the 21-member School Board has differing opinions, there is a consensus that the district’s future leader should be a superintendent, rather than a chief operating officer.
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“How can we possibly request state funding for our schools if we’re not adhering to the state’s requirement for a superintendent?” questioned Dr. Che “Rhymefest” Smith, an elected Board member.
Smith spearheaded the initiative for all school board members to adopt a non-binding resolution, ensuring that the next CPS leader, whether interim or permanent, possesses a superintendent’s license.
“Superintendent’s licensure means you have a special certification that says you know the core work of schools, you know how schools should be ran, and you also have a master’s degree in education,” Smith said.
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But, Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former teacher, does not think the license is necessary to lead the nation’s fourth-largest school district.
“There are individuals who have taught at the community college level and have led at the community college level that could be available for positions like that,” Johnson said.
Johnson says while a strong education background is important, so is a leader who shares his vision on the direction of CPS, specifically sustainable community schools.
Because CPS CEO Pedro Martinez leaves in June, the mayor says he will have to choose an interim CEO. He used School Board President Sean Harden as an example of the kind of leader he is looking for.
“I actually think there’s something pretty special about our board president, which I think is a model for how our next interim could relate to the school board, someone who is a product of our public education system,” Johnson said.
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