Baltimore City’s school board has posted a job opening for the public school system’s first new chief executive officer in a decade.
The job listing is the product of months of surveys, focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and public forums where students, parents, teachers and other community members expressed what they want in the school district’s next leader.
“The Board of School Commissioners is focused on finding a leader who will build on the district’s positive momentum and gains in academics, student wholeness and leadership,” said Robert Salley, chair of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, in a statement. “It’s important that we select a leader with the vision and skill to accelerate the upward trajectory of students, staff and schools.”
With the help of Chicago-based consulting firm Alma Advisory Group, the school board has launched a national search for a leader to succeed current City Schools CEO Sonja Santelises, whose contract will end June 30, 2026. Her successor is expected to begin in the role on July 1, 2026.
Santelises, who will have led the school district for 10 years by the end of her contract, is the longest-serving City Schools CEO in eight decades. She has been named the superintendent-in-residence at The Broad Center at Yale University’s School of Management, where she will lead a public education leadership fellowship, teach in the school’s Master’s in Public Education Management degree program, and mentor alumni.
The job posting for the new CEO offers a salary range of $315,000 to $375,000.
The CEO would oversee City Schools’ $1.7 billion operating budget for a school system that educates more than 76,000 students and employs about 12,000 staff.
Among the job requirements, applicants should have at least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in K–12 education, including at least 5 years in a senior administrative role. Experience in an urban district is strongly preferred.
The listing calls for a candidate who is a “visionary and strategic leader,” “effective communicator and collaborator,” “instructional and operational steward,” “culture builder and emotionally intelligent leader,” and “innovative, data-informed decision maker.”
The school system held a series of forums to garner community input as part of the search process.
The school board will share a full report on their findings from those forums at their Nov. 4 board meeting and on the school system’s website afterwards. In the meantime, they shared some of their key findings in a news release Thursday.
Forum participants said they would value a leader who would support active family engagement through parent-teacher associations, as well as the school system’s collaboration with community partners to strengthen programs, facilities, and student opportunities.
They also wanted the school district to continue supporting multilingual learners, LGBTQ+ students, and immigrant families; providing a range of academic opportunities, such as career pathways, dual enrollment, and career and technical education; and improving literacy and social-emotional learning.
“All of these insights reflect a community that cares deeply about its students and schools and is ready to move forward, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive,” said Salley, the school board chair.
In November and December, the school board and Alma Advisory Group will source and recruit candidates to interview in order to assess their performance and competency for the position.
Next, board members will further examine the finalists in January and February.
By March and April, the board will finalize a contract with the selected candidate, begin the transition process, and plan an induction ceremony for the new CEO, who will start July 1, 2026.
“The goal of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners is to recruit, screen, and select the best candidate to serve as the next CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools,” Salley said. “It’s our stated purpose to mitigate bias at every step and lead a transparent CEO search process guided by the input of the City Schools community, reflect Board policy and abide by State legislation. We will continue to inform the community through ongoing updates during this entire process.”
To view the job opening or to apply, click here.
