The Wake County Board of Education has selected Robert Taylor to lead North Carolina's largest school district as its next superintendent. Taylor will officially assume the role on October 1st, following an 8-1 vote by the board. He brings over three decades of experience in education, including time as superintendent of Bladen County Schools and as North Carolina's deputy state superintendent of public instruction.
Taylor replaces Catty Moore, who retired after five years at the helm of the district, which encompasses nearly 200 schools, serves over 159,000 students, and operates with an annual budget exceeding $2 billion.
With a base salary of approximately $327,000, Taylor was chosen from a pool of 28 applicants. Board Chairwoman Lindsay Mahaffey highlighted Taylor's familiarity with North Carolina and his clear vision for the future of Wake County schools as key factors in his selection. Board member Sam Hershey praised Taylor's character, educational expertise, and leadership abilities.
Taylor's appointment follows a brief, albeit controversial, tenure as Mississippi's state education superintendent. Despite being the unanimous choice of the state's education board, his confirmation was rejected by the state Senate in March. While some attributed the rejection to racial bias stemming from Taylor's past writings on Mississippi's history of racism, others cited concerns about his experience with improving underperforming schools.
Taylor expressed enthusiasm about joining the Wake County school system, acknowledging its reputation for innovative education and his eagerness to contribute to the ongoing work of its educators. An interim superintendent will continue to lead the district until Taylor's official start date in October.
