New Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Wayne Walters (center) at a press conference announcing his selection to the post, on July 21, 2022. Left is Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, and right is school board President Sala Udin. (Photo by Emma Folts/PublicSource)_
Pittsburgh’s school board opts for stability in choice of longtime district veteran Walters to succeed Anthony Hamlet as superintendent.
by Emma Folts, PublicSource
The Pittsburgh Board of Education has selected Wayne Walters to serve as superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools [PPS], a decision that comes nearly one year after he took on the role in an interim capacity.
In a press conference Thursday, Walters said he’s seeking to collaborate with students and parents in shaping education, improve staff morale and communication and make decisions “rooted in equity.”
“We’re not without challenges. And those challenges have been heightened and further exposed by this pandemic,” Walters said. “But I see this as an opportunity to innovate. And I have a strong desire to work together to create a brighter day in our beloved district. All of our children deserve it.”
The nine-member board began a national search for its next superintendent in March, with the goal of choosing the district’s new leader before the start of the 2022-2023 academic year. PPS’ previous superintendent, Anthony Hamlet, resigned in October amid growing frustrations within the district and following a State Ethics Commission finding that he had violated the Ethics Act.
Educational leadership search firm BWP & Associates aided the district in its search. The board in March approved $55,000 in spending on the search, which was later backed by foundation funds. In all, 29 people from 13 states and one other country applied for the role, and the firm presented five finalists to the district in a late June report.
“We wanted to make sure that our search was indeed a national search, and that the person who came out on top came out among national competition, serious competition,” said school board President Sala Udin. Choosing a superintendent is one of the board’s most important tasks, he said, and it took the responsibility “to heart.”
The board has not publicly named the five finalists for superintendent. Udin said “we don’t have that information,” during the press conference and said their names would not be shared, citing that some had not notified their employers about their applications.
The board is anticipated to formally vote to appoint Walters on Wednesday, during its next legislative session. Walters will have a five-year contract, the details of which will be released Wednesday, solicitor Ira Weiss said during the conference. His predecessor earned $229,473 in the 2020-21 school year.
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