Boston Names Mary Skipper Next Superintendent of Boston Public Schools

BOSTON — July 20, 2026 — Boston names Somerville Superintendent Mary Skipper to lead Boston Public Schools. Mayor Michelle Wu and School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson announced the appointment at a morning ceremony at Tech Boston Academy in Dorchester, where Skipper co-founded the school in 2003. Skipper was selected following a city-wide search that drew thousands of resident responses and produced four finalists; the School Committee voted the previous night. Acting Superintendent Drew Eshleman, who attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education with Skipper two decades ago, will manage day-to-day operations through a transition Skipper said she expects to complete by September. Skipper named special education, English language learner services, and bus reliability as immediate priorities, citing an August 15 DESE compliance deadline and noting that one in two BPS students is either a special education student or an English language learner. Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang, a search committee member, pledged partnership, and Student School Committee Member Zyra Mercer told the crowd: "We're tired of the change, the constant change — we need that structure."