Barbara Byrd-Bennett
Barbara Louise Byrd–Bennett (born July 27, 1949) is an American educator, education administrator, former school superintendent and convicted felon. Byrd-Bennett is the former chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Cleveland Municipal School District. She was CEO of the Cleveland schools from 1998 to 2006. From 2009 to 2011, she was the academic and accountability officer for the Detroit Public Schools system. She was hired as the chief education advisor for CPS in April 2012 and then named CEO by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel six months later.
Barbara Byrd–Bennett | |
|---|---|
| CEO of Chicago Public Schools | |
| In office October 11, 2012 – June 15, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Jean-Claude Brizard |
| Succeeded by | Jesse Ruiz (interim) |
| Superintendent of Cleveland Municipal School District | |
| In office September 23, 1998 – August 17, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Louis J. Erste (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Lisa Marie Ruda (interim) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Barbara Louise Byrd July 27, 1949 Harlem, New York, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Leonard Franklin
(m. 1969; div. 1977)Bruce Bennett (m. 1988) |
| Children | Nailah K. Byrd–Suggs |
| Alma mater | Long Island University (BA) New York University (MA) |
| Occupation |
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| Signature | |
She resigned from CPS in 2015 amid a bribery investigation, which led to her pleading guilty to multiple charges. In 2017, Byrd-Bennett was sentenced to 4 1/2 years at Federal Prison Camp, Alderson in West Virginia. She was released from prison and placed on home confinement in May 2020.