Head of Minneapolis Public Schools will not seek new contract

Superintendent Ed Graff says he will leave the district after his current contract expires at the end of June

Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff
Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff makes his way out of a press conference at the Davis Education Center in north Minneapolis last week following the announcement of a settlement between the school district and the local teacher union.
Tim Evans for MPR News file

Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff announced Wednesday he will not seek a third term with the district when his current contract ends in June of this year. 

The announcement, shared by a letter with the school board, comes just after the end of an educator strike during which the district’s 30,000 students missed three weeks of classes. 

Graff in a statement said he was proud of his six years of work in the state’s third largest district, calling it a “extraordinary opportunity to fulfill a life calling and make a difference in the lives of children.”

During his tenure, Graff oversaw the implementation of a controversial district restructuring plan in 2020. The Comprehensive District Design, also known as the CDD, was drawn up to address racial disparities between white students and students of color. The rollout of the plan drew criticism from parents facing a move to new schools. And some parents of color also worried the plan would make it harder for their children to participate in the programs they were already part of. 

In a statement, the head of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers’ teachers chapter, Greta Callahan, and the head of its education support professional chapter, Shaun Laden, said they will be part of the search for a new superintendent.

“We look forward to working with the Board of Education and our school communities — families, students and workers — through this process to ensure the next superintendent shares our values and is chosen through an open and authentic process.”

The district says it will announce plans and a timeline to find a new superintendent soon.

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