Educators for Excellence-Chicago Reacts to Pedro Martinez’s Appointment as CEO of Chicago Public Schools

September 15 (Chicago) – Educators for Excellence-Chicago (E4E-Chicago), a teacher-led organization, congratulated former San Antonio Superintendent, Pedro Martinez, on becoming the next CEO of Chicago Public Schools. 

“I’m excited that CEO Martinez is from Chicago and that he attended Chicago Public Schools because his background is one that so many of my students can identify with,” said E4E-Chicago member Bailey Jaeger, a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Spry Elementary School. “I am also encouraged to see that the CEO selection team listened to educators and families, and selected someone who understands Chicago’s unique needs. My hope is that Mr. Martinez will follow in Dr. Jackson’s footsteps and continue to listen to stakeholders and visit our schools so that he truly understands the needs of our schools and communities.”

“On behalf of E4E, I would like to congratulate Pedro Martinez on his appointment as CEO of Chicago Public Schools,” said Sydney Morris, co-CEO and co-founder of Educators for Excellence. “This is an exciting moment for CPS, because it offers a fresh perspective in a time of renewal and recovery. CPS needs a leader who listens to their constituency and takes bold action on behalf of students and teachers. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, educators  have identified innovation, collaboration, safety, and social-emotional learning as top concerns for the new school year; we look forward to working with CEO Martinez on these priorities during his time at CPS, so that together we can make Chicago schools more equitable for all students.”

Over the summer, E4E-Chicago hosted a series of focus groups and surveys to learn more about what educators want to see in their new CEO. They identified four major trends:

Deep understanding of the landscape;
To prioritize equity and actively work to dismantle systemic racism in education;
Focus on stakeholder collaboration, especially with parents and teachers; and
Address safety concerns in schools.

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