DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. – Monday is the last day to submit applications to be considered for the Duval County Public Schools superintendent position.
When News4JAX talked to Duval County School Board Chair Darryl Willie earlier this month, just four people had applied to become the next superintendent for DCPS.
Since then, two more people have added their names to the list.
“This is going to be an opportunity for someone to take on this challenge of Duval County, but also this opportunity of Duval County. We have some of the highest graduation rates we’ve seen,” Willie said.
The school district suspended its search in 2023 after the first attempt to find a replacement for Dr. Diana Greene did not succeed in providing enough qualified candidates.
The people who’ve applied all have varying backgrounds in school leadership roles, but one thing they have in common is a Ph.D.
The applicants so far are:
- Dr. Corwin Robinson
- Dr. Sito Narcisse
- Dr. Carlos Perez
- Dr. Sylvia Mitchell
- Dr. Ronnie Dotson
- Dr. Christopher Bernier
Once a superintendent is selected, they’ll need to take on some serious issues. One of them is falling enrollment.
Currently, the district has a proposal on the table to close nearly 30 schools. It’s part of a plan to save money amid the rising costs and shrinking enrollment. As of now, no decisions have been made, and they won’t be made for a while.
Willie said he’s optimistic the right person for the job will be hired.
“Despite the conversations around these consolidations, we have money to build new schools. And that’s the point, to push and get students into schools that are innovative and transformative for themselves,” Willie said. “And this superintendent has the opportunity to do that and work with a board that is ready to make some hard and tough decisions when it’s necessary.”
Finalists will need to be available for on-site interviews on May 13 and 14.
The projected start date for the next superintendent is July 1.