The Orange County School Board is beginning its search for a new superintendent.
Board members held their first work session on the search Tuesday and agreed to move forward with a request for proposals, or RFP, to find a firm that can lead the process.
The search comes nearly a month after Superintendent Maria Vazquez announced plans to retire at the end of the school year after more than 30 years with OCPS.
District 1 board member and newly elected School Board Chair Angie Gallo, laid out some of her priorities for the next superintendent last week. .
The district is grappling with a drop in enrollment. Gallo, speaking with Central Florida Public Media on election night, said she wants someone who can help the district bring students back while also finding ways to manage its financial challenges.
“I need someone that understands the challenges that we're under funding-wise and can look at ways to save money, so I need that business mindset,” Gallo said. “I also need somebody that is friendly with the union, that understands our teachers are represented by a union and we all need to work together for the better good.”
Board members also discussed expanding the search committee beyond the 27 members used in the previous search. They want to include more educators and representatives from the business community.
“This is going to be a monumental task, we need all hands on deck,” District 5 board member Vicki-Elaine Felder said during the Tuesday work session.
The board also discussed working with the Florida School Boards Association, which helped with the district’s last superintendent search.
If the board selects an outside firm, the search could begin as early as February or March, with a decision expected a few months later.
Gallo said the goal is to have a new superintendent, or interim superintendent, in place by June 30, 2027.
Vazquez’s final day with the district is August 31, 2027.
