DeKalb names new school superintendent as former leader pleads guilty
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Norman C. Sauce III has been named superintendent of the DeKalb County School District. Photo: Courtesy of DeKalb County School District
Norman C. Sauce III has been named superintendent of the DeKalb County School District after nearly a year leading the district in an interim capacity.
Why it matters: Sauce's appointment allows the district to focus on the future after it was (once again) rocked by scandal when its former superintendent was federally indicted in connection with a kickback scheme.
The latest: DeKalb County Board of Education members on Monday voted 4-1-1 to appoint Sauce to the post.
- Board member Tiffany Hogan opposed the appointment while Vice Chair Awet Eyasu abstained from the vote.
State of play: The board's vote occurred on the same day former superintendent Devon Horton pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud, tax evasion and embezzlement in connection with a job he held before he was hired in DeKalb, the Evanston Roundtable reports.
- His attorney Terence Campbell told the media outlet Horton pleaded guilty "because he received some funds back from certain district contractors he knew and that was wrong."
- While serving as superintendent for the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 in Illinois from 2020 to 2023, Horton allegedly failed to disclose personal or financial ties to companies awarded professional services contracts by the district, the federal indictment charges.
What they're saying: Sauce said in a statement that he looks "forward to listening, learning, and working collaboratively with our entire school community to build on the district's strengths and ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed."
Flashback: Before the interim post, Sauce served as the district's chief of student services, Region IV's superintendent and area superintendent for high schools, according to his biography on the district's website.
- Sauce earned his bachelor's degree from California State University, Long Beach, master of education from the University of California, Los Angeles and his doctorate in education from the University of Southern California.
What we're watching: Sauce is the 10th person to serve as DeKalb's superintendent in either a temporary or permanent capacity since 2010.
- Stable leadership at the top will allow school board members and district staff to align their efforts to improve student academic performance and recruit and retain educators.