Next New Orleans Public School Superintendent Down To 2 Candidates

The new superintendent is expected to be named on April 2.

Interim school superintendent Dr. Fateama Fulmore and elected state Board of Education member Dr. Sharon Latten-Clark are still in the running to become the next chief of New Orleans public schools.

According to Nola.com, both candidates completed the first round of interviews for the position with approval from the full Orleans Parish School Board. The search for a new chief comes after Superintendent Avis Williams stepped down in November 2024, leaving six months for the board to hire a permanent replacement.

“The two finalists exhibited qualities and qualifications that are in alignment with the vision of the Board and the needs of our district,” Orleans Parish School Board President Katie Baudouin said in a press release.

Fulmore, a Brooklyn, New York, native and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, has served in the district central office for over two years and was deputy superintendent under Williams. She boasts experience as an overseer of enrollment, career and technical education teacher, middle and high school assistant principal and high school principal. The educator comes to the New Orleans school district with prior administrative experience in Omaha and Philadelphia. Fulmore’s recent plan to maneuver the district from a multimillion-dollar crisis stands out.

Latten-Clark, a Xavier College Prep alumna, is from New Orleans. Her resume spans professional educational roles such as an English teacher, assistant principal, longtime leader of Sophie B. Wright charter school, and her recent role as a state board of education member. She has more than 25 years of experience.

Fulmore and Latten-Clark emerged from the more than 20 candidates who applied. The candidates will rotate among attendees during a public meeting April 1 at Walter Cohen High School to give introductions and answer questions. The board encourages the community to participate by attending in-person meetings, watching the social media or YouTube livestreams, or completing a feedback form.

The final round of interviews and elections will take place April 2. The Orleans Parish School Board plans to solidify contract terms for the new superintendent during its April 17 meeting.