Gray Appoints Kaya Henderson as Chancellor of DCPS

Kaya Henderson can remove the "interim" label from her Chancellor title. Wednesday Mayor Gray officially gave her the gig as head of D.C. Public Schools  (DCPS). She came to DCPS as Deputy Chancellor in 2007 and has been serving as .

Gray said his experience with Henderson first during her time as Deputy Chancellor and recently as interim Chancellor, has given him "confidence in her judgment and her character."

Gray did not hold formal interviews for other candidates. He defended his decision, “Are there other candidates I could have considered and worked well with? Surely there are. But I have already worked with Kaya and have certainty about her approach."

In a press release, Henderson wrote, "I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Gray to make the critical decisions needed to ensure that DCPS becomes a first class school district. Our children deserve nothing less."

Locally, Henderson's appointment leaves the future of former Hardy Middle School Principal, Patrick Pope. , Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans said Henderson was "not inclined" to bring the Pope back to the Georgetown middle school. Evans last week to bring Pope back to the Ward 2 school.

Henderson grew up in NY and receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Georgetown University.