City Schools CEO discusses school board changes and her contract extension

Enrollment in Baltimore City schools continue to decline, in parallel to the city's shrinking population over the past few decades. There are nearly 10,000 fewer kids in city classrooms this year than there were 10 years ago. With funding for schools tied to the number of students in classrooms, less students represents a challenge for school officials. Chronic absenteeism, which afflicts Baltimore schools and schools across the country, is also a pressing problem. Meanwhile, if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his pledge to shutter the federal Department of Education, what would that mean for our city? Baltimore City Public School system CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises joins Midday to talk about the her school system, and its future. Santelises led the system longer than any other city CEO in the last several decades. Her last contract expired in June. Chair Ronald McFadden reportedly engaged in months-long negotiations with Santelises that ended last summer with an offer for her to continue as CEO for just one more year, while a national search for her successor was undertaken. Then, about a month ago, the board voted to extend her contract another year, through June 2026. McFadden and Roberts voted against that extension, and this week they resigned as commissioners. Liz Bowie, an education reporter with WYPR's news partner the Baltimore Banner, reports the reshuffling of the board is the result of a power struggle on the board over negotiations on a new contract with Santelises.Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.