King Davis was promoted to superintendent of the Killeen Independent School District in Texas after serving as interim leader since August.
Davis formerly served eight years as superintendent of Sheldon ISD, where he helped move the district from “Improvement Required” to a consistent “B” rating and eliminated an $11 million budget deficit.
He previously served as superintendent of Wharton ISD, deputy superintendent in Everman ISD and assistant superintendent in Crosby ISD.
Also in Texas, Superintendent Kirk Koennecke is moving to Eanes ISD after 10 years leading Indian Hill EVSD and Graham LSD in Ohio. He was named the National Association of School Superintendents Superintendent of the Year in 2023.
Bastrop ISD interim superintendent Kristi Lee was named the district’s permanent leader. Lee has also served the district as deputy superintendent, associate superintendent and executive director of communications and community relations.
Chan Anderson was promoted to superintendent of the School District of Newberry County in South Carolina after serving as interim leader since July. Anderson has been a public educator in South Carolina and Florida for 31 years.
More new hires
- Chad Bahnks, Orion CUSD 223 (Illinois)
- Daniel Bray, Tuscaloosa County School System (Alabama)
- Tom Eding, Continental Local Schools (Ohio)
- Thomas Howell, Caldwell County Schools (North Carolina)
- Chris Marshall, Morgan County R-1 Schools (Missouri)
- David Reilly, Elk Grove Unified School District (California)
- Joe Rodriguez, Goose Creek CISD (Texas)
- Tim Ziero, Sylvania Schools (Ohio)
(LAST UPDATE: Nov. 17, 2025): Seattle Public Schools looked to the Midwest for its next leader and chose Ben Shuldiner, who has been superintendent of the Lansing School District in Michigan since 2021.
Shuldiner, unanimously named the finalist for Seattle’s top spot, oversaw gains in graduation rate (up 26%), attendance (up 15%) and enrollment in Lansing. He also led the district to financial stability and growth by increasing the district’s fund balance by over $40 million, Seattle Public Schools said in a news release.
Before arriving in Lansing, Shuldiner founded the High School for Public Service in Brooklyn in 2003 and served as its principal for 10 years.
“During my tenures as a teacher, as an administrator and as a leader in national organizations, I’ve seen common values across communities and classrooms,” Shudliner said in a statement. “Students, families and staff are what make them extraordinary.”
Superintendent Molly Edmonds will move to Rochester Community Unit School District #3A from Pawnee CUSD #11 in July. Both districts are in Illinois. She has served as the principal of two high schools, director of student care for the Illinois State Board of Education and deputy director of education for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
In California, Bassett Unified School District Superintendent Alejandro Alvarez was chosen to lead Rialto USD. He is credited with strengthening academic achievement, expanding technology access and building strong community partnerships at Bassett USD.
Regional School District #17 in Connecticut has selected Patricia Sullivan-Kowalski, an assistant superintendent for Meriden Public Schools, as its new superintendent.
Vanessa Hopkins, an educator with experience in Atlanta, Memphis, St. Louis and Syracuse, has been named the next superintendent of the Blytheville School District in Arkansas.
Newton-Conover City Schools in North Carolina picked Emily Shaw as its new superintendent, starting on Jan. 1. Shaw is the assistant superintendent of human resources for Montgomery County Schools, also in North Carolina.
More new hires
- James Altobello, Bordentown Regional School District (New Jersey)
- Jessica Graves, Jones County School System (Georgia)
- Gil-Rey Madrid, Fort Stockton ISD (Texas)
- James “Jamie” Soltis, Roanoke County Public Schools (Virginia)
- Brianna S. Williams, Tyrrell County Schools (North Carolina)
- Troy Wright, Warren County Public Schools (Virginia)
(LAST UPDATE: Oct. 17, 2025): Superintendent Raashad Fitzpatrick is taking the helm at South Carolina’s Cherokee County School District after having led the Lancaster County School District since October 2023. Fitzpatrick, who was chosen unanimously, previously served as a high school principal in Cherokee County.
The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District has chosen Kym LeBlanc-Esparza as its new superintendent. Most recently, she was deputy superintendent of Jeffco Public Schools in Colorado. Before that, she was superintendent of the Archuleta School District in Colorado and the Newberg School District in Oregon.
North Carolina educator Don Phipps is taking on his third superintendency. On Dec. 1, he becomes the new leader of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools after serving in the same roles in Caldwell and Beaufort counties.
The Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township in Indiana promoted Shenia Suggs, its assistant superintendent for human resources, to superintendent, effective Jan. 5.
More new hires
- Jennifer Fraley, Carter County Schools (Kentucky)
- Jake Henson, Center Independent School District (Texas)
- David G. Murphy, Cambridge Public Schools (Massachusetts)
- Jennifer Murphy, Peters Township School District (Pennsylvania)
- Michael F. Plotkin, Carmel Central School District (New York)
- Kimberly Velez, Temecula Valley Unified School District (California)
(LAST UPDATE: Sept. 11, 2025) Superintendent David Vinson is leaving Texas’ Wylie Independent School District after 14 years to take the helm at Conroe ISD. Under Vinson’s leadership, Wylie ISD’s schools received consistently high ratings from the state, dual-credit enrollment soared, and the district’s fund balance grew from $9 million to more than $85 million.
In Alabama, Superintendent Keri Johnson is moving to Pelham City Schools from the Tuscaloosa County School System, which she has led since 2020. Johnson has been a teacher and administrator at Oxford City, Shelby County and Alabaster City schools.
The Syracuse City School District in New York has promoted Deputy Superintendent Pamela Odom to serve as the district’s new leader, effective October. Odom is a graduate of the district, and has worked there for 30 years.
The School District of Manatee County promoted Laurie Breslin, its executive director of student support and family engagement, to superintendent. Breslin, a graduate of the district, has served in several administrative roles in Manatee County schools.
Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska promoted interim leader John Skretta to superintendent. Skretta previously served as Lincoln’s associate superintendent of civic engagement and chief administrator for Educational Service Unit 6.
Longtime administrator Leanne Shivers was named the lone finalist to become the next superintendent at Coppell ISD. Shivers had been serving as the assistant superintendent at Keller ISD, where she held several other leadership roles over the last 10 years.
More new hires
- Daniel Bosnic, Uniontown School District (Pennsylvania)
- Debra B. Frazier, Liberty County School System (Georgia)
- Stan Karber, Lincoln Consolidated School District (Arkansas)
- Guy Lowery, Pottsville Area School District (Pennsylvania)
- Andrea Smith, East Chambers ISD (Texas)
- Jason Wolf, Beal City Public Schools (Michigan)
(LAST UPDATE: Aug. 21, 2025) Superintendent Brandon Hubbard is moving to Texas’ Marlin Independent School District after leading Chilton ISD since 2016. Under his leadership, Chilton ISD earned a “B” state rating, his new district said. Hubbard was named Region 12 Superintendent of the Year in 2021.
Pamela Moore was named superintendent of Indiana’s Delphi Community School Corporation. She previously led the Tri-Township Consolidated School Corporation and has experience as a principal and assistant principal.
The Richmond County School System in Georgia promoted interim superintendent Malinda Cobb to the permanent role. Cobb, who had been serving as interim since Jan. 1, has been with the district for 20 years, beginning her career as a teacher.
Texas’ Spring ISD also gave its interim, Kregg Cuellar, the full-time role. Cuellar has served as the district’s chief of academics and school leadership for the past three years and was previously a deputy superintendent at Midland ISD and Portland Public Schools in Oregon.
Elsewhere, several administrators are getting their first shots at the superintendency. California’s Anaheim Union High School District promoted 29-year employee and alumnus Jaron Fried to the top spot. He most recently served the district as assistant superintendent of educational services and assistant superintendent of human resources.
Suzanne M. Palmieri was appointed superintendent of East Granby Public Schools in Connecticut. Palmieri is the director of strategic initiatives for Hartford Public Schools. Hope Amor, who has been a principal in two nearby Indiana districts, was picked to lead Bremen Public Schools, where she is also an alumna.
More new hires
- Shawn Dutkiewicz, Octorara Area School District (Pennsylvania)
- Patrick Krumholz, East Otero School District R-1 (Colorado)
- Luz Martinez, Kingsville ISD (Texas)
- Sommer McCorkle, Ironton City School District (Ohio)
- Glenn Mitcham, Waverly Community Schools (Michigan)
Continuing to grow: The latest look at troubling teacher shortages in 2025
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