The Board of Education voted on Mar. 30 to appoint Macquline King as the permanent CEO of Chicago Public Schools, ending a yearlong search for the district’s top leadership role. King, who has served as interim CEO since last June following the departure of Pedro Martinez, was selected by an 18-1 vote.
King will receive a three-year contract with an annual salary of $380,000. This is approximately $20,000 more than her predecessor and about $40,000 more than what Martinez was offered in 2021. She was chosen over Sito Narcisse, former superintendent in Louisiana’s East Baton Rouge Parish schools.
King faces significant challenges ahead including a projected $520 million budget deficit and guiding the district through upcoming school board elections and the transition to a fully elected board. During her nine months as interim chief, she addressed issues such as closing a previous $734 million budget gap and managing conflicts with city officials and federal policies.
Norma Rios-Sierra, an appointed board member who participated in the search committee, said: “The thought of taking her out of that role and putting someone else into that role and having them relearn all of that is a little bit scary… And knowing she’s willing to take that on and work with us is a sigh of relief.”
Support for King came from various unions and advocacy groups. Jackson Potter from the Chicago Teachers Union praised her handling of student transfers after two charter high schools closed but acknowledged future difficulties: “We can’t stave off the harm that is on the horizon without being in lockstep in our advocacy and vision,” Potter said.
Kia Banks, president of the principals union, said King “demonstrated a willingness to engage directly with school leaders,” while SEIU 73 president Dian Palmer described her as “patient and kind” even during disagreements over staffing cuts.
Daniel Anello from Kids First Chicago highlighted King’s commitment to students’ interests “without yielding to political pressure” and supported her three-year contract for stability during leadership transitions.
King began her career at CPS as a teacher in 1994 before becoming principal in 2007. She later worked as education policy advisor under both Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Mayor Brandon Johnson prior to becoming interim chief last summer. Her tenure has included scrutiny over past incidents involving reporting procedures but did not result in formal discipline due to resource constraints at those times.
Remel Terry from the West Side branch NAACP welcomed King’s appointment but noted concerns about transparency during the selection process: “Having access and being able to speak directly to concerns and issues is a very important piece,” Terry said.
