Board of Education appoints McKnight as superintendent

Dr. Monifa B. McKnight, who has been serving as interim superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) since Dr. Jack R. Smith retired as superintendent on June 1 of last year, has been appointed superintendent of the county school system.
The Montgomery County Board of Education today voted unanimously to appoint McKnight.
With the announcement, McKnight becomes the first woman and the second person of color to be appointed to the superintendent position on a permanent basis.
McKnight will assume the permanent role on July 1 contingent upon contract negotiations and approval by the state superintendent of schools.
“With her long and distinguished record serving the MCPS community, Dr. McKnight is uniquely qualified to lead the district during this time.” said Brenda Wolff, president of the county Board of Education. “She intimately understands the challenges our community faces and believes deeply in the limitless potential of our students and educators. The board looks forward to working with her to provide every MCPS student a first-class education.”
During that time, she has served as interim superintendent, McKnight has helped guide the district through a school year of unprecedented challenges while strengthening the district’s commitment to equity and excellence, according to an MCPS press release.
“I am honored by the trust the Board has placed in me to lead the district I’ve called home for 20 years,” McKnight said. “This is a moment that calls for leading with empathy while in pursuit of academic excellence. I plan to place my focus on understanding the educational needs and interests of students and teachers, while prioritizing the safety and well-being of everyone in our school community.”
The school board’s vote is the result of a months-long, national superintendent search that included “a remarkable level of community involvement,” according to the press release. The board solicited feedback through three public forums, a districtwide survey, and a series of focus groups and individual interviews. Additionally, panels of community members interviewed a diverse slate of four finalists for the superintendent position. In total, more than 5,000 community members, including parents and educators, engaged in the selection process, the school system reported.

The Montgomery County Council issued the following statement on McKnight’s selection:
“The council congratulates the Montgomery County Board of Education on their selection of Dr. Monifa B. McKnight as the next superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) after concluding a national search.
“Dr. McKnight has led the school system through public health and safety challenges by drawing on her extensive experience working in our schools. She joined MCPS in 2001 as a teacher and successfully moved up the ranks as an assistant principal, principal, deputy superintendent and interim superintendent.
“Dr. McKnight is the first African American woman to be selected by the Board of Education to become the superintendent of MCPS, which is Maryland’s largest school system and the 14th largest in the U.S. She is a relentless advocate for educational equity and excellence and is a champion for advancing the interests and well-being of children. She also is committed to professional development and continuous improvement across the MCPS system.
“While we understand that this appointment is contingent upon approval by the state superintendent of schools, we are grateful to Dr. McKnight for her ongoing service to our students and their families. We look forward to continuing to work with her in this new role.”

McKnight has had a long and accomplished career in MCPS, having served as a teacher, principal, and district administrator. She first joined MCPS in 2001 as a teacher at Parkland Magnet Middle School for Aerospace Technology.
Dr. McKnight was honored as the 2015 Maryland Middle School Principal of the Year by the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals and as the 2015 Maryland State Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. She received this honor during her 5th year as the principal of Ridgeview Middle School.
She also served as a Campus Principal Ambassador Fellow for the U.S. Department of Education in 2016. Prior to her role as interim superintendent, she was deputy superintendent of MCPS. She was also the chief school management and instructional leadership officer for Howard County Public Schools. Prior to her tenure with Howard County, Dr. McKnight served as director for secondary leadership development programs for MCPS.
A native of South Carolina, Dr. McKnight holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Bowie State University and a doctoral degree in educational leadership and policy from the University of Maryland in College Park.

“The Council congratulates the Montgomery County Board of Education on their selection of Dr. Monifa B. McKnight as the next superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) after concluding a national search.
“Dr. McKnight has led the school system through public health and safety challenges by drawing on her extensive experience working in our schools. She joined MCPS in 2001 as a teacher and successfully moved up the ranks as an assistant principal, principal, deputy superintendent and interim superintendent.
“Dr. McKnight is the first African American woman to be selected by the Board of Education to become the superintendent of MCPS, which is Maryland’s largest school system and the fourteenth largest in the U.S. She is a relentless advocate for educational equity and excellence and is a champion for advancing the interests and well-being of children. She also is committed to professional development and continuous improvement across the MCPS system.
“While we understand that this appointment is contingent upon approval by the state superintendent of schools, we are grateful to Dr. McKnight for her ongoing service to our students and their families. We look forward to continuing to work with her in this new role.”