SALT LAKE CITY — The Board of Education for the Salt Lake City School District voted unanimously Monday to offer the position of superintendent to Alexa Cunningham, one of three final candidates.
Cunningham was chosen from 33 applicants in a nationwide search. She is currently the superintendent of the Tolleson Union High School District in Tolleson, Arizona.
Board members said Cunningham best aligned with many of the traits prioritized by community members for the next executive chosen to lead the district. In a community survey, district members identified issues such as achievement gaps, student equity and leading a diverse student body as priorities.
The principals of each of the district's high schools were also unanimously in favor of the board's selection, according to board member Katherine Kennedy.
"In terms of being (an) instructional leader, they saw Dr. Cunningham as someone who can stand up and help them lead their schools," Kennedy said.
Outgoing superintendent McKell Withers announced his retirement in August after serving in the post for 13 years. The board underwent a five-month search and interview process, narrowing the original pool of 33 applicants to eight semi-finalists and three finalists.
Cunningham has experience in dealing with issues of diversity and poverty in schools. Seventy percent of students in the Tolleson district qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch, and 90 percent of students are non-Caucasian.
"My vision is to provide all students with quality instruction and real-world experiences in order to prepare them to compete and prosper in a global economy," Cunningham said in a prepared statement.
In the Salt Lake City District, almost 58 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch, and about the same percentage identify themselves as minorities.
"I feel confident that we have made the right decision in who we will have leading our district," said board member Melissa Ford. "We were looking for a superintendent who has demonstrated leadership in an urban setting, understands governance and collaboration, will be held accountable and will be open and transparent. These are all things that Dr. Cunningham will be successful at."
While the vote was unanimous, Cunningham was not the first choice for all board members. Board President Heather Bennett and member Michael Clára said they initially preferred Krish Mohip, a candidate from Chicago Public Schools. But they voted to support Cunningham "in the spirit of compromise," and offered their confidence in her ability to address some of the academic challenges Salt Lake schools are facing.
Bennett said Cunningham's experience "gives me great hope that she may be able to bring some of the ideas, the organization, the clarity of vision that we need."
Cunningham's two-year contract will begin on July 1.
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