Copyright Chicago Sun-Times
The two finalists to lead Chicago Public Schools are the former chief of New York City schools and the current superintendent of schools in Denver, according to two sources with knowledge of the search process. Alex Marrero, who has served as head of Denver Public Schools for four years, and Meisha Ross Porter, who led public schools in New York City in 2021, will interview with the board next week. Chicago Public Schools officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Board of Education members have signed a non-disclosure agreement prohibiting them revealing the names of candidates. But just as quickly as the names become public, there are questions about whether either will become Chicago’s next schools chief, sources say. Ross Porter is under consideration by New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to return to the helm of the city’s public schools. Ross Porter has been “evasive” in conversations with Chicago’s school board when asked if she planned to stay in New York, according to a source who asked to remain anonymous because they weren’t authorized to share confidential information. Ross Porter was born and raised in New York City and attended public schools there. She graduated from Queens Vocational and Technical High School and went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts in English concentrating in Cross Cultural Literature and Black and Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College. Ross Porter was the first Black woman to lead the education of the New York City’s school system, according to her biography with the New York State School Boards Association. She’s currently a visiting senior fellow at the Center for Educational Innovation, according to her LinkedIn page. Meanwhile, some in Chicago have expressed concerns about Marrero’s job in Denver, sources say. That’s despite the school board there having voted earlier this year to extend his contract through 2028. Marrero is the son of a Cuban refugee and a Dominican immigrant, according to his Denver Public Schools profile. Before his role at Denver Public Schools, Marrero served as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in New Rochelle, New York. He was the first Latino head of the city’s school system. He has also worked within other school districts in New York, including New York City public schools. Marrero also serves as president of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. He is also an executive board member for the Council of Great City Schools. He earned a doctorate in Education Leadership from Russell Sage College and advanced executive coaching and education leadership certificates from Harvard and Columbia universities.
