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Orange County Public Schools

Jenkins retiring as OCPS Superintendent

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After 10 years as the Superintendent of Orange County Public Schools, Dr. Barbara Jenkins has announced her retirement. Jenkins will open the 2022-23 school year but officially retire in December after dedicating over 30 years to serving the needs of OCPS students.

"Through the years, it has been my honor to work with phenomenal board members, teachers, administrators, and support staff who are committed to leading our students to success," Jenkins said on her Twitter account. "Serving in this role has been a calling and a tremendous blessing."

The OCPS Board had been aware of Jenkins' approaching retirement as she's been enrolled in Florida’s DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Program) since 2018. The board discussed a tentative timeline to name her replacement which will begin with a work session on February 15th.

Barbara Jenkins, Orange County Public Schools Superintendent
Barbara Jenkins, Orange County Public Schools Superintendent

Melissa Byrd praised Jenkins' success but is also ready to begin the search for a new superintendent. 

“Dr. Jenkins has led this district in an exemplary manner leading us to be one of the top districts in the country," said Byrd, the District 7 OCPS Board Member, which represents Apopka. "I have every confidence in our school board to find the perfect candidate to carry on her legacy of success.”

Under Jenkins' leadership, the district won the prestigious 2014 Broad Prize for Urban Education. The prize earned the district $500,000 for student scholarships from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. The district also received the Governor’s Sterling Award in 2014 and 2015 and the Sustained Excellence Award in 2017 for its exemplary performance using research-based best practices in its business. Also in 2017, she received a presidential appointment as a director of the National Board of Education Sciences. and was named the Florida Superintendent of the Year and one of four finalists for the national title.

Orange County Public Schools has 24,080 employees, 209,063 students, and 205 schools as of the 2021-22 school year. The district is the ninth-largest in the country and the fourth-largest in Florida.

OCPS Board Member Melissa Byrd, District 7, Dr. Barbara Jenkins, Orange County Public Schools, OCPS

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