Miami-Dade Public Schools
Alberto Carvalho
Alberto Carvalho
Alberto Carvalho
Alberto Carvalho
Alberto Carvalho

Miami's school chief says no to New York City job

March 2, 2018
New York City announced that Albert Carvalho would be the city's next school chancellor, but less than a day later, Carvalho changes his mind

Miami School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has turned down an offer to become chancellor of New York City public schools.

The New York Times reports that Carvalho, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s choice to lead the nation's largest public school system, says he has changed his mind and will not leave his job as superintendent of the Miami-Dade County system.

De Blasio had announced on Wednesday that he had selected Carvalho, “the best person to lead the nation’s largest school system into the future.”

The Miami Herald reports that Carvalho's change of heart came at a board meeting Thursday in Miami in which board members, students and members of the public pleaded with him to stay.

Carvalho gave an impassioned speech without announcing a decision and then asked the school board for a five-minute break that lasted about 20. He briefly returned to the auditorium and then asked for another break.

“I just don’t know how to break a promise to a child, how to break a promise to a community,” Carvalho said. “That has weighed on me over the last 24 hours like nothing has weighed on me before.”

The Miami district is the nation's fourth-largest public school system, with about 345,000 students. Carvalho has served as superintendent since 2008. In Miami, he succeeded Rudy Crew, a former New York City schools chancellor.

New York City has been searching for a chancellor to succeed Carmen Fariña, who has announced her retirement in December. 

Sponsored Recommendations

How to design flexible learning spaces that teachers love and use

Unlock the potential of flexible learning spaces with expert guidance from school districts and educational furniture providers. Discover how to seamlessly integrate adaptive ...

Blurring the Lines in Education Design: K–12 to Higher Ed to Corporate America

Discover the seamless integration of educational and corporate design principles, shaping tomorrow's leaders from kindergarten to boardroom. Explore innovative classroom layouts...

Room to Learn: Furniture Solutions for Education

Preparing students for the future. Utilizing our experience in the education market, we offer a dynamic selection of products that pair technology with furniture to help stimulate...

Transforming Education: A Case Study in Progressive Classroom Design

Discover how Workspace Interiors and the Baldwin School District reshaped learning environments in Long Island, New York, creating pedagogically responsive spaces that foster ...