Herring to step down as Atlanta schools superintendent

The Atlanta Board of Education says it will part ways with superintendent Lisa Herring.

Driving the news: The school board will not extend Herring's contract beyond June 30, 2024, according to a statement that chair Eshé Collins released Friday.

Why it matters: Herring, who was hired in 2020 during the early days of the pandemic, has spent her tenure working to ensure students could recover any academic skills they lost while learning remotely — and retaining teachers who felt overwhelmed and burnt out.

What they're saying: Herring said Friday in a statement issued by the district that she received her final satisfactory feedback from the board in December 2022 "with emphasis on the focus of additional engagement and stronger communications efforts."

• "I have worked diligently to honor the work and expectations of our board and community," she said. "My work has remained laser-focused on the success of our incredible scholars, our dedicated professionals who lead in and outside the classroom and our countless champions who continue to propel APS to greater heights."

Collins said that Herring and the board "remain committed" to Atlanta Public Schools students, parents and families.

• "We are confident that, as the superintendent transitions and the board embarks on the search for the next transformative leader for APS, the work will continue uninterrupted, and APS will remain a great place for children," she said.

Context: Under Herring's leadership, APS has been under scrutiny over some controversial moves. The federal government launched an investigation after a parent said the principal at Mary Lin Elementary School assigned students to classes based on race.

• Some parents also criticized the district's plan to rezone students in the Midtown High School cluster.
• The district also faced questions about concerns that parents raised related to the leadership at Howard Middle School.