On Tuesday, February 3rd, Dr. Joshua Starr announced his resignation as Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Dr. Starr’s resignation officially took effect on Monday, February 16, his last day on the job.

News of possible conflict between Dr. Starr and the board of education surfaced in recent weeks as discussions about renewing his contract took shape. To renew his contract, Dr. Starr needed five votes out of eight from the board, which, according to multiple reports, was going to be difficult for him to obtain. On the same day that Dr. Starr announced his resignation, the board unanimously approved an agreement to find a replacement immediately.

The search for a new superintendent could take months, but the board stated that they intend to find the strongest candidates available in what they call a “nationwide search.”

The board also decided that Larry Bowers, the district’s chief operating officer, would take over as interim Superintendent until a full-time replacement is hired.

In a statement released on the MCPS website, Bowers stated, “Over the next several months, we have a lot of important work to do. We must intensify our focus on improving literacy and mathematics instruction to ensure every child has a strong foundation of knowledge, skills, and learning processes. And we must work with state and county leaders to ensure we have the funding to provide all students with the education they need and deserve.”

Dr. Starr, who served as superintendent since 2011, took over the position when Dr. Jerry Weast retired after 12 years in the leadership role. Dr. Starr began his career in education in 1993 as a special education teacher in New York City Public Schools where he worked with teens struggling with emotional issues. He later went on to serve as Director of School Performance and Accountability in the New York City Department of Education, the largest school system in the country. It was during this time that Starr received his doctorate in administration and social policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Prior to his appointment as Superintendent of MCPS, he served as Superintendent of Schools in Stamford, Connecticut for almost six years, starting his tenure in 2005.

Why Dr. Starr is no longer the superintendent is still unclear and has led to speculation throughout the county. In the months leading up to his resignation, Dr. Starr had shown interest in the New York City Public Schools Superintendent position, which led some to wonder whether this created an issue for the board. The ultimate reason, though, seems to be that the board lost faith in the superintendent, though nothing concrete has come from the board at this time.