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Macquline King is expected to start in the role on June 20, replacing the outgoing Pedro Martinez, who was terminated last year and will soon become Education Commissioner for
In detailing King’s more than 18 years of professional experience, the board described her as a “visionary education leader, strategic policy advisor and innovator.”
“Identifying an interim candidate who understands the services, components, concerns, and politics that go along with this role—and how to balance them—was paramount,” CPS Board President Sean B. Harden said in a written statement. “Similar to the ongoing search for the person who will hold this seat permanently, the Board wants to ensure our interim is a leader who upholds educational excellence, equity, and accountability while also exemplifying the values of CPS stakeholders across the District.”
King since 2022 has served in the mayor’s office as senior director of education policy, responsible for advising on Pre K-16 education initiatives and aligning resources and policies across CPS, City Colleges, and early childhood programs. She has also advised on budgetary matters, the district said.
Martinez was fired in December without cause amid conflict with Mayor Brandon Johnson and his refusal to take out a high-interest loan to help finance a new teacher’s contract and a pension payment for non-teacher staff, a move Martinez said was fiscally irresponsible.
The district’s fiscal year begins July 1 with a reported budget deficit approaching $530 million.
The other finalists included CPS Chief Portfolio Officer Alfonso Carmona and CPS Chief of Teaching and Learning Nicole Milberg.
Asked earlier in the day about King being the board’s possible choice, the mayor declined to endorse a candidate but said the pick “has to reflect my values, and my values are we have to have a school district that works for every single child.”
Chicago Teachers Union ‘ready to partner’
In response to King’s appointment, Chicago Teachers Union president Stacy Davis Gates said the union was “ready to partner” with the new CEO, saying that CPS will need to “move with urgency to repair the damage” she says Martinez left behind.
“We need a plan in week one to guarantee the academic advancements we’ve made together in recent years and implement the promised improvements from our recent contract,” she said in a written statement. “We look forward to working with interim CEO King to secure the necessary funding from Springfield to fully fund each and every school community in our state.”
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