The St. Louis Public Schools district has looked West to find a new leader with a proven record of urban student academic improvement.
On Wednesday, SLPS announced that Keisha Scarlett, a Seattle Public Schools assistant superintendent, will become SLPS superintendent on July 1, 2023. She has served the Seattle city district for 24 years and has been assistant superintendent of academics since 2021.
“A Saint Louis Public Schools education will be a ‘gateway to unlimited possibility,” Scarlett said in a release.
“[St. Louis] community is resilient and has made important progress. Together, we will continue moving forward until all [SLPS] students are safe, cared for, and prepared with education to take them wherever they want to go.”
Matt Davis, SLPS Board president, called Scarlett “a talented, genuine and visionary educator.”
“Scarlett possesses the perfect mix of skill, knowledge, and experience while caring deeply for students, families, teachers, and staff.”
A nationwide search was reduced to three candidates last week, including Scarlett. Also being considered were SLPS interim superintendent Nicole Williams and Jermaine Dawson, Birmingham, Alabama, chief academic and accountability officer.
Williams has led the district since Jan. 1, 2023, following Kelvin Adams, who served as SLPS superintendent for 14 years. She will remain in the role until July 1, the beginning of the 2023-24 school year.
“We were extremely fortunate that Williams stepped up to serve as interim, and we are indebted to her for the pivotal role she will play in this transition,” Davis said.
While serving as assistant superintendent, Scarlett crafted a strategic plan that helped increase early literacy among Black boys and students “furthest from educational justice.”
She also served as the district’s chief of equity and co-founded the Academy for Rising Educators [ARE]. The tuition-free educator preparation program partnered with Seattle Central College and the city of Seattle to serve more than 300 aspiring educators of color. The program has a 90% retention rate.
Scarlett served SLPS as executive director of organizational development, human resources director, principal, and teacher. As principal of South Shore PK-8 School, she developed an accelerated mathematics pathway for students in grades three through eight.
In 2014, 25% of eighth-grade students were two years advanced in math, and all those students met/exceeded standards on the state’s Algebra I and Geometry end-of-course exams.
Scarlett was honored as Washington State Middle-Level Principal of the Year for leading South Shore to 80% proficiency across multiple grade levels in reading, writing, and math on state exams.
Before becoming an educator, Scarlett worked for Boeing. She earned her doctorate and principal certification from the University of Washington, her master’s in education from Heritage University, and her bachelor’s from Clark Atlanta University.
“I am honored to be chosen to lead St. Louis Public Schools. The children in this great city are full of promise. I know that with the right support, they can thrive in the classroom today and achieve their goals for the future,” she said.
