Board of Education Extends Superintendent’s Contract
Dr. Whitney Oakley will remain superintendent through 2027

Greensboro, N.C. – The Guilford County Board of Education unanimously extended the contract of Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley to the maximum time allowed by law in recognition of her excellent performance as superintendent. Oakley will remain superintendent of Guilford County Schools through June 30, 2027.

The Board of Education stated, “Dr. Oakley has engaged our community with her vision of leadership and laid out a thoughtful, clear path, with student achievement at the center. Her approachability, accountability, transparency and ability to communicate her vision are great assets for GCS.”

“I am thankful to each of the board members for this show of confidence in me and in the progress we are making as a district,” says Oakley. “GCS is my home, and I am honored to serve as superintendent. Together, we will continue to make GCS the best place to learn, work and grow. I appreciate the many leaders, teachers, staff members, parents and students who support our district and who are helping us reach our goals.”

Oakley was officially named the fifth superintendent of Guilford County Schools on August 31, 2022, following a short stint as acting superintendent. She spent the next few months engaging with thousands of stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, staff members and community leaders through a series of Better Together Community Conversations.

In May, Oakley announced the district’s Strategic Direction, which was developed using the feedback gathered through the Better Together campaign. The Strategic Direction includes four focus areas:

- Accelerate learning;

- Recruit, retain and reward top talent;

- Strengthen health, wellness and safety in schools; and

- Prepare students for the world.

During her first year as superintendent, Oakley expanded the district’s nationally recognized learning recovery efforts, including high-dosage tutoring and learning hubs. In the 2022-2023 school year, GCS provided nearly 300,000 high-dosage tutoring sessions to 11,461 students, tripling the number of sessions and doubling the number of students served from the prior year.

The district also deployed twelve new school safety strategies; secured a $14.8 million grant to expand on-demand mental health services to all schools; and launched nine new school construction projects along with a $48 million allocation for deferred maintenance, technology and school safety projects as part of a voter-approved $2 billion school bond program.

“As I move into my second year as superintendent, I will continue to build on the strategies that are working for our students and staff, particularly in the areas of academic growth, mental health and safety,” Oakley says. “We have more work to do, but I know that our team is ready for the challenge.”