San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
To Martinez, gratitude; to SAISD, a vote of confidence
When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced San Antonio Independent School District Superintendent Pedro Martinez on Wednesday as the new Chicago Public Schools CEO, she described him as a “son of Chicago” and an “incredible, national leader.”
Martinez, who will leave at the end of the month, has led SAISD for six years with heart, logic and innovation — prevailing over educational inequities and COVID-19. We owe him our gratitude. His aspiration for excellence, reflected in his vision, empathy and leadership, is unparalleled. And his success offers a path forward for SAISD as the district looks for its next superintendent.
Leadership can be a lonely place, and while Martinez has many fans in San Antonio, he also drew his fair share of critics. Why? Because rather than going along to get along, he dared to shake up the status quo. Even his fiercest critics must admit that students at SAISD are better off now than before he took the helm. His aim has always been excellence for all students, and that is reflected in the district’s new reputation.
Those parents heckling at the announcement in Chicago, and the pointed questions from journalists who weaved in descriptions of the challenges faced by Chicago’s public schools, might have rattled some — but not Martinez. He responded with confidence and vision, just as he has in San Antonio.
Under Martinez’s leadership, SAISD has transformed into one of the most innovative districts in the state. A number of its schools have shown dramatic academic progress, and certain specialty schools featuring gifted-and-talented and dual language programs have drawn the attention of parents across the district and from the broader community.
Many of the criticisms — that he would sometimes micromanage, was willing to partner with charter school operators, or made unilateral decisions around returning to school during the pandemic — from the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel have struck us as failing to see the forest for the trees. It’s not that Martinez is not above criticism — no one is — it’s that SAISD is undeniably better thanks to his leadership. The trend lines have consistently moved in the right direction because Martinez expects excellence.
Responding to Chicago journalists’ questions, Martinez said he supports the state’s policy to partner with charter school operators to turn around low-performing schools. While he is not against charter schools, he said, given the chance, districts are best equipped to turn around low-performing schools.
Martinez has long held that the safest place for students to be is in the classroom. Ensuring this during the pandemic meant weekly on-site COVID-19 testing, universal mask mandates and vaccine mandates for employees. More broadly, it meant a vision of schools as robust community centers, and this is reflected in the recently approved $1.25 billion bond.
It’s tempting to feel a loss here, but there is an immense opportunity for SAISD to showcase the systems in place at the district and build on its momentum under Martinez.
He said it best in his statement: “The strongest organizations are those that are built to outlive us — to be sustainable beyond the current leadership. And SAISD clearly has the depth of talent and skill to move gracefully forward.”
An immigrant from Mexico, Martinez, who will be the first-ever Latino CEO of Chicago Public Schools, was 6 years old when he and his 11 siblings came to Chicago.
To return home, and to a district where he served as chief financial officer from 2003 to 2009, is a gift.
To Martinez, we wish you the best of luck. To SAISD, we see a chance to continue building something special. Onward.