Education

New Interim CPS CEO Outlines Goals for District: ‘We Must Keep Students at the Heart of All That We Do’

Chicago Public Schools’ new interim CEO Macquline King on Thursday outlined the goals of her tenure, including passing a district budget and ensuring student success.

King, a former CPS principal who served as a senior education policy director under Mayor Brandon Johnson, officially took over as interim CEO last week and made her first public comments since her appointment during Thursday’s Board of Education meeting.

“I step into this role with a deep sense of responsibility and an unwavering commitment to the students, families and the educators who make this district extraordinary,” she said.

King spent 12 years teaching in CPS classrooms before serving as principal at Dumas Elementary School and Courtenay Language Arts Center. King then took over her policy director role in 2022, in which she advised the mayor on “education initiatives, aligning resources and policies across CPS, City Colleges, and early childhood programs,” according to the city.

She was tapped for her new role earlier this month, as her predecessor, Pedro Martinez, exited Chicago last week — six months after he was fired by the board in late 2024 following a prolonged feud with Johnson.

As she leads CPS on an interim basis, King said she’s “clear-eyed” on her main priorities moving forward: passing a district budget in a “transparent, equitable and responsive to the needs of our schools and communities,” ensuring students return to “welcoming, safe and familiar environments” on Aug. 18, and prioritizing what she called “student-centered action.”

“At the end of the day,” she said, “every decision we make must center our young people — from early literacy to post-secondary success, from safe school environments to culturally responsive teaching — we must keep students at the heart of all that we do and every decision that we make.”

CPS faces a dire financial forecast and education officials have repeatedly called for additional funding from the state to help close its projected budget gap.

King said she’s been briefed on the budget situation, saying Thursday that the total funding required to cover all district expenses is $730 million. She’s planning to lead an engagement process with all stakeholders to “align a path forward.”

Board member Michilla Blaise encouraged King to be “fearless” in her role to be “radically different.”

“Think outside the box,” Blaise said. “Think in ways that will bring us to a better place and understand that we’re here to support you.”

Chicago Teachers Union Stacy Davis Gates — a vocal critic of Martinez during his tenure — welcomed King on Thursday, saying she had a “very positive” experience with the way King handled herself as a member of the city’s negotiating team as the union bargained for a new contract.

“There was curiosity, there was engagement,” Davis Gates said. “There was an evenness to the way in which Dr. King comported herself during that entire year, and we’ve appreciated that.”

Several students and CTU on Thursday also called on King and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to ensure investments — not cuts — for CPS.

“Budgets are not math problems, budgets are choices,” teacher Tenesha Rawls said. “They are choices about whether to invest in our young people or to deny them the things they need to succeed while realizing their dreams.”

Gabriel Paez, chair of the CTU’s bilingual education committee, said Thursday that budget proposals from King’s predecessor Pedro Martinez called for cuts to dual language programs and coordinator positions.

Instead, he said, more money needs to be poured into those efforts to support families and members of the immigrant community who are “under relentless siege from illegal raids and deportations.”

“There’s fear and panic, and kids are too afraid to come to school,” Paez said. “I implore you to invest in this community in bold defiance of the Trump administration’s anti-immigration fanaticism.”

The board on Thursday also unveiled the results of its public engagement efforts aimed at finding a new permanent CEO.

Working with an executive search firm, Alma Advisory Group, the board held 11 community gatherings, one virtual session and more than 70 interviews and focus groups, as well as a citywide survey.

More than 1,400 CPS stakeholders participated, with results showing people largely want a new schools leader they can trust and who can advance the district’s Five-Year Strategic Plan.

The board is expected to begin identifying and recruiting potential candidates in the near future.

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