Boston School Committee Approves Interim Schools Superintendent

BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston School Committee Monday night unanimously voted to approve Laura Perille as the interim superintendent of the city's school system.

Perille, the head of educational nonprofit organization, will replace Tommy Chang until a new, permanent superintendent is chosen.

Chang recently announced that he would step down after leading the school district for three years.

Perille is the president and chief executive EdVestors, which has worked with Boston schools to improve math instruction and expand arts programs.

"The Boston School Committee has placed its trust and confidence in Laura Perille as interim superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, and we look forward to working closely with her to provide stability in the district, while engaging with our school communities and continuing key initiatives aimed at closing opportunity and achievement gaps in our schools," said Boston School Committee Chairman Michael Loconto in a statement.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh last week tapped Perille as interim schools superintendent.

Perille has served on a number of civic committees appointed by the Boston mayor or school committee, including the External Advisory Committee on School Choice (2012-13) charged with redesigning Boston's student assignment system; the Education Transition Team for Mayor Walsh (2013-14); and the Superintendent Search Committee (2014-15) for Boston Public Schools.

Prior to EdVestors, she led Perille Consulting Group, and previously served as education director for Crittenton Hastings House, policy analyst for Community Catalyst/Families USA, and program director for the Greater Boston Food Bank.

A graduate of Brown University, Perille and her family live in Boston, where her children attended and graduated from the Boston Public Schools.