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After more than six months of searching, St. Paul school board members Thursday night chose Stacie Stanley, the superintendent of Edina Public Schools, to lead the state’s second largest school district. 

Prior to running the Edina schools, Stanley worked as an associate superintendent in the Eden Prairie school system and held positions in Roseville Area Schools and the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage district. She is currently president-elect of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators.

In her public interview Wednesday night, Stanley spoke about her experience attending St. Paul schools as a student and her leadership style. 

“I am community oriented. I have had success with engaging in community no matter what community I am in,” Stanley said. “There are core things that define my leadership and the first thing is deeply embedding myself in the community that I serve in. St. Paul is my community because I grew up here.”

Board members voted unanimously to offer Stanley the position, describing her as compassionate. 

“I think that St. Paul needs someone connected and compassionate,” said board member Carlo Franco, who added that he’d heard from many people submitting feedback who wanted the district to hire Stanley. 

“You can grow up in any part of this city and become a brilliant leader,” board member Halla Henderson said.”And I think that is who Dr. Stanley is.” 

Stanley’s start date will be announced early next year, after winter break. Whenever she starts, she will take the helm of the state’s second largest district with a $1 billion budget and nearly 70 school buildings attended by more than 33,000 students. 

Stanley was one of three finalists for the superintendent position, all of whom were women of color with experience running school systems. The others were Brenda Cassellius, Minnesota’s former education commissioner, and Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed, superintendent of the Hopkins schools.

Joe Gothard, the former superintendent, left the district in the summer to take over the Madison, Wis., schools.

Among the challenges the new St. Paul superintendent faces is reconciling a large 

 that may involve cuts beyond the reductions to custodial, food service and other programs the district sustained in 2024. 

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Elizabeth Shockman

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The St. Paul school board Thursday night chose Stacie Stanley to head the state’s second largest district. Board members voted unanimously to offer her the position, describing Stanley as compassionate. Her start date will be announced after winter break. 

Edina superintendent picked to head St. Paul schools

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