Overview
- Interim CEO Macquline King, former New York City chancellor Meisha Porter, and former East Baton Rouge superintendent Sito Narcisse were announced as finalists.
- Each candidate will meet Mayor Brandon Johnson, take part in a 15-member community engagement panel, and then face a special board meeting for discussion and a vote.
- The board has not released dates for the interviews or vote, though officials indicated they are targeting a hire before the 2026–2027 school year.
- King’s inclusion marks a reversal after she was left out of a previous finalist pool, as some civic groups and board members urged keeping her in place until a fully elected board takes office in January 2027.
- The search has faced turbulence, including leaked names that prompted a contender’s withdrawal, the district’s split with its search firm, and accusations from some board members of mayoral interference.