Prince George's County superintendent leaving district in 'mutual agreement'

PGCPS Superintendent Millard House II ousted, last day June 18

The superintendent of Prince George's County Public Schools is on his way out. Superintendent Millard House II is parting ways with the school district. This decision comes just before he marks two years with the system.

PRINCE GEORGE'S CO., Md. - UPDATE: Prince George's County Public Schools interim superintendent named

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The superintendent of Prince George's County Public Schools is on his way out. 

Millard House II is parting ways with the school district. This decision comes just before he marks two years with the system.
 

What happened:

The school board held a closed-door meeting in Upper Marlboro Thursday night. That's where they decided to part ways.

Leaders with the Prince George's County school district say it's a mutual agreement to separate their employment relationship with their superintendent. 

This goes into effect next week on Wednesday.

House was appointed superintendent on July 1, 2023, by former County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.

What they're saying:

In a statement. PGCPS highlighted his achievements during his time with the district, like increasing the graduation rate to now over 80%. They went on to say that he's "set the system on a path for continued improvement."

But this decision isn't a surprise to many in the community, including the teacher's union.

Just last week, the Prince George's County Educators' Association put out a vote of 'no confidence' House following frustrations and the current staffing crisis.

The president of the union, Donna Christy, spoke with FOX 5 after the vote.

"We are desperate for strong leadership, our school system is not in a healthy place, too many vacancies, payroll is often missed, people don’t get paychecks randomly. Our staff feels disrespected, does not have faith that anything’s going to change," Christy said. 

What's next:

Now the big question is: who will take over once House is out on June 18?

Historically, the country executive is the one who nominates a school superintendent. Next week, State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy will be sworn in as Prince George's County's next county executive. 

FOX 5 is told that once she takes on her new role she will nominate a candidate for the school board to vote on and finalize their contract.

Braveboy issued a statement to FOX 5 on Thursday, saying: 

"I’m grateful to Superintendent House for his service to our county’s schools over the last two years. Ending his tenure was - as it should be - a mutually agreed upon decision between the Superintendent and the Board of Education. 

Education is a top priority for my administration and given the turn of events I intend to move quickly to identify an interim Superintendent with the skills and experience to provide a meaningful bridge of leadership and continuity as I work to identify the right candidate to lead and elevate our school system to the level of academic excellence we want for our young people. 

As County Executive-elect, I am committed to ensuring every child in our county has access to a world-class education and the opportunity to succeed. The next leader of our school system must bring bold vision, accountability, and a deep commitment to student achievement. I will work closely with stakeholders to select a leader who shares our dedication to preparing young people for success in school, in life, and in the workforce."

We did ask the school system who will serve as interim in the meantime and they say they don't know at this time.