How Did MPS Select New Superintendent?

It’s been a saga that started in October when Superintendent Barbara Thompson resigned after allegations of grade changing in the school system.

 

That’s when Allen was appointed the interim leader.

 

After working with her for months, board member Durden Dean says the group decided it wanted her to take the job full time. 

 

“We had an idea that Margaret was the person we wanted, but we wanted to be fair. And to be honest, we did not have to open it up to a national search. We didn’t have to put it out there. The laws of the state says that if we have an interim and we like them we can hire, but we wanted to be fair,” said Dean.

 

Montgomery Public Schools posted the opening on its website and at the central office. Only one other candidate applied for the job, but got another job offer.

Another factor in hiring Allen was time. 

 

“The school system didn’t have a lot of restrictions on how long a person could be an interim superintendent but with the new legislative act, there were restrictions on how long a person could be the interim,” said Tom Salter, spokeman for Montgomery Public Schools. 

 

And those laws give the board 180 days to fill the vacancy. Some parents I spoke with are concerned that hiring from within won’t help a school system that’s already having trouble. But Dean says Allen is the right choice because she has experience with the state board, which is now working closely with the system. 

 

“We needed particularly at this time someone who could work well with the state. The state can do things that we as the board and as a system can’t do. So we felt very confident that margaret was the right person,” said Dean.