TOLEDO, Ohio — Romules Durant, the superintendent of Toledo Public Schools, has received the 2024 Urban Educator of the Year award from a nationwide coalition of urban school districts working to improve inner-city education.
The Council of the Great City Schools gave Durant the award at its Green-Garner Award Banquet during its annual fall conference.
Durant, who has been TPS superintendent for 11 years, won the award over five other "big-city superintendents," according to a press release from CGCS.
CGCS noted five successful levy campaigns, increased graduation rates, expanded services for accelerated students and the opening five magnet high schools.
“Romules Durant has been a transformational leader and a tireless advocate for students in Toledo Public Schools to become college and career ready graduates,” Council Executive Director Ray Hart said in the press release. “His passion for excellence in his 11 years of steady leadership has shown all of us in urban education what is possible. Our sincere congratulations to Romules and Toledo!”
Per the award, Durant will receive a $10,000 scholarship to give to a TPS student.
According to Washington, D.C.-based CGCS, the award is in memory of two people: Richard R. Green, the first African American chancellor of the New York City school system and businessman Edward Garner, who served on the Denver school board.
Seventy-eight urban school districts comprise CGCS, five of which are in Ohio, including TPS:
- Cleveland Metropolitan School District
- Columbus City Schools
- Cincinnati Public Schools
- Dayton Public Schools
