AKRON, Ohio — Akron Public Schools appears to have its next leader.
The city's board of education on Thursday voted 6-1 to hire Dr. C. Michael Robinson Jr. as the district's next superintendent. Robinson, who currently serves as chief academic officer for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System in Louisiana, was one of three finalists for the position.
"I am extremely pleased and humbly honored to be joining the Akron Public Schools family," Robinson said in a statement. "Together, with the students, staff, parents, and community, we will take APS to new heights, and I'm very excited to be a part of this journey."
The search began in February following the resignation of Christine Folwer-Mack, whose departure was described as a "mutual decision" between her and APS leadership. Folwer-Mack's two-year tenure was plagued by school safety concerns, a bitter contract negotiation with teachers, and an Akron Beacon Journal report than outlined harsh criticisms from members of the board.
APS Executive Director for Elementary Education Mary Outley replaces Folwer-Mack as interim superintendent, with School Board President Dr. Derrick Hall encouraging her to apply for the permanent position. She was eventually named a finalist along with Robinson and Birmingham (AL) City Schools Chief Academic and Accountability Officer Dr. Jermaine Johnson, while a fourth finalist — Aurora (CO) Public Schools Chief Academic Officer Dr. Nia Campbell — removed her name from consideration earlier this week.
The board met in a special session Thursday night to conduct final interviews before deciding to give Robinson the job after six hours of discussion. A second vote ended up being unanimous, and the district will now enter contract negotiations with its preferred candidate.
Unlike both Outley and Fowler-Mack, Robinson is not an Akron Public Schools alum and has never worked in the district. With an Ed.D. from Argosy University in Sarasota, Florida, his career spans more than two decades and has mostly been in the Southern United States, including a stint as superintendent of Arkansas' Pine Bluff School District from 2016-18. He has been in East Baton Rouge — home to more than 40,000 students — since February of 2021.
Robinson wrote the following objective statement in his resume, which APS made public:
"I am an innovative, progressive, transformational, visionary, results-oriented, and data-driven leader. My experiences encompass the work of urban-suburban, rural, urban, and suburban school districts of varying sizes, cultural diversity, and socio-economic statuses around transformation and reform. My knowledge and skills as a current Chief Academic Officer, a former superintendent, and having served in other executive roles, will help to support the board’s vision to move Akron Public Schools, Ohio forward in the capacity of Superintendent of Schools."
The board did not give a timeline as to when Robinson's contract could be finalized.