LAWRENCE — The board overseeing the search for the city’s next school superintendent voted to hire Ralph Carrero despite vocal opposition by the 1,400-member Lawrence Teachers Union.
Carrero is the director/superintendent of a local city charter school. He is perceived to be a political ally of Mayor Brian DePena and LTU members felt he bypassed part of the superintendent search process.
DePena, who serves on the Lawrence Alliance for Education, the board overseeing the superintendent search, did vote for Carrero during a meeting Friday evening. He did not offer any comment during the meeting.
Alliance member Maria Moeller made the motion to hire Carrero with fellow member Juana Matias offering the second necessary.
Voting to hire Carrero were DePena, Moeller, Matias, Dolores Calaf and Arlene Garcia.
Members Patricia Mariano, the LAE chairperson, and Edgar DeLeon, both voted against Carrero.
Mariano and DeLeon expressed support for finalist Dr. Alma Gonzalez de Castillo.
Carrero’s selection as the next LPS superintendent must now be ratified by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Following the meeting, union president Kim Barry said the LTU “wanted the board to choose the most qualified candidate based on the data provided by the Alma Group (consulting agency) because Lawrence citizens and our students deserve to come out of state receivership and to be led by a qualified superintendent.”
The reaction from the audience gathered for the LAE meeting at the South Lawrence East School was mixed. Some applauded Carrero’s nomination and selection while others yelled “bag job!”
Mariano, as chair, repeatedly asked the audience to quiet down and said she’d call security if necessary to clear the room during the meeting. Matias also asked for the room to be cleared. The audience quieted down and was allowed to stay.
Lawrence schools have been under state receivership since 2012 with the LAE as an oversight board.
A superintendent must be in place for Lawrence Public Schools to be returned to local control.
Prior to Friday night’s vote, Mariano announced another of the 4 bilingual finalists, Dr. Timothy Sippel, had withdrawn his application for superintendent. Sippel was also a superintendent candidate in Malden.
Ligia Noriega-Murphy was the final candidate chosen by the LAE board.
Juan Rodriguez has served as acting superintendent since Cynthia Paris resigned in January 2023. Her 2022 salary was $248,700.
The search for the superintendent has been underway for six months. The Alma Group consulting agency was hired to conduct surveys and interviews and compile data on candidates.
DeLeon said he believed the strongest data was for Sippel and Gonzalez de Castillo.
Mariano said she supported Gonzalez de Castillo noting she had compiled a five-year improvement plan for LPS while a candidate.
Matias spoke of her support for Carrero saying the “data was skewed.” She pointed to Carrero’s strength as an effective communicator, his track record in delivering results for students and cultural competence.
Earlier in the meeting, DeLeon also made motions to hire Gonzalez de Castillo and to restart the superintendent search process. Both motions failed.
Carrero is the director/superintendent of the Lawrence Family Development Charter School and Education Fund and the Lawrence Family Development Charter School in Lawrence. The school provides a dual language education development program to 860 students in grades K through 8. The organization has a deep commitment to the development of youth leadership, new immigrants, and adult educational and training programs.
Prior to assuming this role, Carrero served as an education administrator for 18 years at the Greater Lawrence Technical High School, where he was coordinator of student services. His professional career spans close to 40 years, providing services in counseling, social work, criminal justice, and education to residents in Lawrence.
Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter/X @EagleTribJill.