Chicago Public Schools is headed by a chief executive officer (CEO) appointed by the mayor of Chicago. The current interim CEO is Macquline King. This job is equivalent to a superintendent, and, before 1995, the occupant of this office was known as the "superintendent of Chicago Public Schools".

History The position of chief executive officer was preceded by one of "Superintendent". The first individual to hold this position had been John Clark Dore, who assumed the position in 1854. In 1855, the authority to remove the Superintendent was given to the Board of School Inspectors by the same ordinance which created the city's first high school, meaning the Chicago Common Council (today known as the "Chicago City Council") no longer held this authority.

The role of Superintendent, when established, did not have well defined duties. The office was originally subordinate to the Board of School Inspectors, and later the Chicago Board of Education (which supplanted the Board of School Inspectors in 1857). Its powers were limited. The role was, in part, shaped by its officeholders over the years. Since the ordinance which established the office did not require administrative authority to be given to the superintendent, there was no clear delineation of policymaking and administrative roles between the superintendent and the school board.

In practice, a stronger superintendency was developed, beginning under Edwin G. Cooley's tenure. However, it was not until the 1917 Otis Bill that the superintendency was granted exclusive administrative power over schools.

In 1995, the Government of Illinois passed the Chicago School Reform Amendatory Act, which replaced the position of superintendent with that of chief executive officer. The first individual to serve under the title of CEO was Paul Vallas.

Officeholders Superintendents of Chicago Public Schools The following is a table listing the individuals that held the position of "superintendent of Chicago Public Schools" from its creation in 1854 through its dissolution in 1995.

Twenty-three individuals held the position on a permanent basis, while a further five served solely on an interim or acting basis.

Name Tenure Citation John Clark Dore 1854—1856 William H. Wells 1856—1864 Josiah Little Pickard 1864—1877 Duane Doty 1877—1880 George C. Howland 1880—1891 Albert G. Lane 1891—1898 Elisha Andrews 1898—1900 Edwin G. Cooley 1900—1909 Ella Flagg Young 1909—1915 John Shoop 1915—1918 Peter A. Mortenson (acting) 1918—1919 Multiple sources: Charles E. Chadsey 1919—1920 Peter A. Mortenson 1920—1924 William McAndrew 1924—1928 William J. Bogan 1928—1936 William Johnson 1936—1946 George Cassell (acting) 1946–1947 Herold C. Hunt 1947—1953 Benjamin Willis 1953—1966 Thaddeus Lubera (interim) 1966 James F. Redmond 1966—1975 Joseph P. Hannon 1975—1979 Angeline Caruso (interim) 1979—1981 Ruth B. Love 1981—1985 Manford Byrd Jr. 1985—1989 Charles D. Almo (interim) 1989—1990 Ted Kimbrough 1990—1993 Richard E. Stephenson Jr. (interim)1993 Argie Johnson 1993—1995

Chief Executive Officers of Chicago Public Schools The following table lists the individuals that have held the position of "chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools" since it was created in 1995. Eight individuals have served as CEO on a permanent basis, while a further six have held the position solely on an interim or acting basis.

Name Tenure Citation Paul Vallas 1995–2001 Arne Duncan 2001–2009 Ron Huberman 2009–2010 Terry Mazany (interim) 2010–2011 Jean-Claude Brizard 2011–2012 Barbara Byrd-Bennett 2012–2015 Jesse Ruiz (interim) 2015 Forrest Claypool 2015–2017 Janice K. Jackson 2017–2021LaTanya McDade (acting)2021 José Torres (interim)2021 Pedro Martinez 2021–2025 Bogdana Chkoumbova (acting) 2025 Macquline King (interim) 2025–present

See also List of presidents of the Chicago Board of Education

References