Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Darryl Williams will not seek another term
BALTIMORE — Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Darryl Williams will not seek another four-year contract, he announced Monday.
Williams' term ends on June 30, 2023.
"After much deliberation and conversation with my family, I have decided not to seek an additional four-year contract.," Williams said. "It has been an honor to serve as superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, and I thank the Board of Education of Baltimore County for the opportunity to lead this incredible system."
This comes after the Baltimore County Parent and Student coalition took a no-confidence vote on Williams, citing a lack of leadership skills as a key issue.
"We need a new direction," said Amy Adams, President of the Baltimore County Parent and Student Coalition. "We need to really search the country for a very qualified leader."
Williams's four-year term as Superintendent has been filled with challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a ransomware attack in 2020, and now the uptick in violence in Baltimore County Schools.
"We wanted to see strong leadership during the pandemic, we didn't feel like we got it," Adams said. "We wanted to see strong leadership during the ransomware attack, we still don't feel like we know what happened with that. And then you throw in the violence, safety and lack of achievement. It's too much."
Additionally, Williams was under scrutiny from parents, teachers, and county council members who said he failed to effectively address low teacher and student morale, teaching shortages, and commutation issues.
County council members expressed these grievances in a letter back in June 2022.
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski sent WJZ this statement:
"As a BCPS parent, former teacher, and County Executive, public education will always remain my top priority. I thank Superintendent Williams for his years of service and wish him well in his future endeavors.
"I trust that that the Board of Education will conduct an exhaustive search to identify a visionary, inclusive, and results-driven leader to help ensure stronger futures for all our kids—they deserve nothing less. In the years ahead, we look forward to continue building a collaborative relationship with BCPS leadership so that we can tackle our shared challenges and provide a world class education for every student across Baltimore County."