Chicago's Board of Education has narrowed its high-stakes hunt for a new schools chief to three contenders, naming interim CEO Macquline King, former New York City schools chancellor Meisha Porter and former East Baton Rouge Parish superintendent Sito Narcisse as finalists. The move nudges Chicago Public Schools closer to a permanent leader after a months-long, often rocky search, with all three slated to meet Mayor Brandon Johnson and sit for community interviews next week.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, King's appearance on the finalist list caught some activists and even board members off guard after she did not advance in earlier rounds. The paper reports that each finalist will be questioned by a 15-member community panel and will also sit down with the mayor as part of the final vetting process.
Interim CEO Macquline King
King has served as CPS interim CEO since June 2025 and was brought in to steady the district through budget pressures and enrollment declines, according to a district press release. In that release, Chicago Public Schools credited her with coordinating the district's response to enrolling migrant students and expanding early childhood access while overseeing day-to-day operations.
Meisha Porter’s track record
Porter briefly led New York City's public schools and was the first Black woman to hold that role, a distinction that helped vault her into early frontrunner territory in Chicago's search. Chalkbeat notes that her experience running large urban school systems, along with later nonprofit and advisory work, factored into the Chicago board's interest.
Sito Narcisse’s background
Narcisse previously led East Baton Rouge Parish schools, serving as superintendent through early 2024, according to local coverage. WBRZ documented his departure and subsequent activity tied to the district. His consulting firm lists him as managing partner, offering data-driven and AI-focused services for school systems through SJ Apple.
A bumpy search and local pushback
The search itself has hardly been smooth. It has featured leaks, a pause in the process and turnover in the team leading it. The board and its original search firm, Alma Advisory Group, parted ways in February, as detailed by Chalkbeat. Community organizations, including the West Side NAACP, and the Chicago Teachers Union slammed the secrecy around the finalists. CTU President Stacy Davis Gates sharply criticized how the search was handled, WBEZ reported.
What’s next
The board says it will weigh feedback from both the community panel and Mayor Johnson before settling on a permanent CEO. The finalist interviews and mayoral meetings are set for next week, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. After that, the timeline is still open-ended as board members juggle community input and political pressures on what may be one of the most consequential hires at City Hall.
