Northeast News
January 27, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The Kansas City Public Schools Board of Directors unanimously voted to enter into contract negotiations with Dr. Mark T. Bedell to serve as the next superintendent of KCPS.

According to a press release from the KCPS, the next step in the process will include completion of due diligence and contract negotiations. Once these steps are completed, the KCPS Board will announce a timeline for introducing Bedell to the Kansas City community. Board Chair Jon Hile said the KCPS Board appreciated the thoughtful input they received throughout the process.

“The Board, like our community, has set high expectations for quality leadership in KCPS,” Hile said. “This process has yielded a leader with the skills and passion to ensure the district’s progress toward full accreditation and academic growth across all of our schools.”

The KCPS Board selected Bedell through a national search process guided by the executive search firm, Ray and Associates. That process included input from KCPS families, staff and community members on the job qualifications and skills for the superintendent position and feedback from families and other stakeholders who attended public forums and other events with the two finalist candidates.

Bedell was one of two finalists selected from a search process that yielded more than 70 applications. He currently serves as Assistant Superintendent for High Schools at Baltimore County Public Schools in Towson, Md. Dr. Bedell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Tennessee State University, and a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. Before joining the Baltimore County Public Schools four years ago, Dr. Bedell worked for Houston Independent School District for 12 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and as a school improvement officer.

The School Board’s goal is to have the new superintendent in place by July 1, 2016.