Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Grand Rapids school board selects Allison Tingwall as next superintendent

Grand Rapids school board selects Allison Tingwall as next superintendent

Rule Changes Grand Rapids, MI local

The board voted 8-1 on Oct. 28 to hire Allison Tingwall, Chicago Public Schools' principal-quality chief, pending contract negotiations. She would replace Leadriane Roby in the 2027 school year.

October 28th, 2026: Board hires Allison Tingwall as next superintendent

Overview

Updated Nov 1

The Grand Rapids Board of Education voted 8-1 on Oct. 28 to hire Dr. Allison Tingwall as the district's next superintendent, pending contract negotiations. Tingwall, Chicago Public Schools' executive director of principal quality, beat GRPS chief area instructional leader Kelly Greene; trustee Kimberley Williams voted for Greene.

Tingwall spent 20 years at Chicago Public Schools and said her experience as a school principal and central office leader prepared her to lead. She described herself as "a Michigander at heart" and said she was excited to return home. Superintendent Leadriane Roby stays through the end of the school year to help with the transition, and Tingwall is set to start in the 2027 school year.

Why it matters

This pick will lead West Michigan's largest district, where 2,000 employees serve a student body that spans 80-plus countries.

Last Monday's email for Grand Rapids, MI

Sent Nov 9. It carried:

Get next Monday's: one short email a week. Free. Unsubscribe in one click.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

8-1
Board vote for Tingwall
Tingwall received eight of nine votes. Trustee Kimberley Williams voted for Kelly Greene.
1
Next superintendent
Dr. Allison Tingwall, pending contract negotiations; she is set to start in the 2027 school year.
35
Candidates who applied
Completed the full application process for the superintendent job.
2,315
People reached nationally
Ray & Associates contacted 2,315 individuals across all 50 states during the search.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

JR
José Rodriguez
President, Grand Rapids Board of Education
Led the board's Oct. 28 vote to hire Allison Tingwall as next superintendent
 Dr. Leadriane Roby
Dr. Leadriane Roby
Superintendent, Grand Rapids Public Schools
Serving through the end of the 2026-27 school year; will help transition to Tingwall
KG
Kelly Greene
Chief Area Instructional Leader, Northwest Quadrant, Grand Rapids Public Schools
Was a finalist for GRPS superintendent; not selected on Oct. 28
 Allison Tingwall
Allison Tingwall
Next Superintendent, Grand Rapids Public Schools
Selected by the board on Oct. 28, pending contract negotiations; set to start in the 2027 school year

Organizations Involved

Grand Rapids Public Schools
Grand Rapids Public Schools
Public school district
Selected Dr. Allison Tingwall as next superintendent on Oct. 28; contract negotiations pending

The largest and most diverse school district in West Michigan.
Grand Rapids Board of Education
Grand Rapids Board of Education
Elected school board
Voted 8-1 on Oct. 28 to hire Allison Tingwall as next superintendent, pending contract negotiations

The elected governing body of Grand Rapids Public Schools.
Ray & Associates
Ray & Associates
Search Firm
Completed the search with the board's Oct. 28 selection of Allison Tingwall

The firm handling GRPS's nationwide superintendent search.

Timeline

February 2026 October 2026

7 events Latest: October 28th, 2026 · 2 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Board hires Allison Tingwall as next superintendent

    Latest Selection

    The board voted 8-1 to hire Dr. Allison Tingwall, Chicago Public Schools' executive director of principal quality, pending contract negotiations. Trustee Kimberley Williams voted for Kelly Greene.

  2. Board names two superintendent finalists

    Selection

    The board voted to advance Kelly Greene, a GRPS chief area instructional leader, and Allison Tingwall, Chicago Public Schools' executive director of principal quality.

  3. Board meets to discuss finalists

    Meeting

    Ray & Associates held virtual screening interviews with the seven semifinalists on Saturday, Oct. 24, and the board met that day to review them. Finalist selection was scheduled for Oct. 26.

  4. Seventh semifinalist added

    Selection

    The board added one candidate to the semifinalist pool after guidance from the Michigan Association of School Boards about potential conflicts of interest, bringing the total to seven.

  5. Board selects six semifinalists

    Selection

    The board chose six candidates from 35 applicants; a seventh was added Oct. 21. Names stay confidential until finalists are picked Oct. 26.

  6. Community input campaign runs

    Engagement

    GRPS held 20 focus groups, four in-person town halls, one virtual town hall, and an online survey to shape the candidate profile.

  7. Roby's contract extended, search launched

    Governance

    The board extended Dr. Leadriane Roby's contract through June 2027 and began the superintendent search.

Scenarios

1

Board names a new superintendent before 2027

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Board President José Rodriguez and district communications, which expect a selection from the current pool

The board screens the six semifinalists virtually Oct. 24, names finalists Oct. 26, and holds final interviews Oct. 28. If a candidate clears the finalist stage, the board moves to contract negotiations and appoints the new superintendent before the end of the year.

2

Search runs into spring 2027

Possible Resolves by Apr 30, 2027

Discussed by: The board's published search timeline, which sets selection without a firm public date

If the finalist round yields no consensus, the board could schedule more interviews with the existing semifinalists or draw on the 28 applicants who did not advance. An appointment would come after Jan. 1, 2027, with Roby continuing through her contract's June 30 end.

3

Search reopens after finalist round fails

Unlikely Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: A contingency outcome; no board official has flagged it as likely

If the two finalists do not produce a hire, the board could reopen the search, posting the position again with Ray & Associates. Roby would remain through June 30, 2027, and the district would run a second application cycle.

4

Board picks a superintendent at the Oct. 28 interviews

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Board President José Rodriguez, who said he expects a decision that day

The board interviewed Greene and Tingwall publicly on Oct. 28, then voted 8-1 to hire Tingwall, pending contract negotiations.

5

Tingwall's contract is approved and she starts in 2027

Likely Resolves by Jul 1, 2027

Discussed by: GRPS and the Board of Education, which said the hire is pending successful contract negotiations

The board and Tingwall negotiate a contract. If approved, she starts in the 2027 school year, with Roby serving through the end of the 2026-27 year.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

August 2025

Michigan state superintendent search (2025)

After state Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice announced his retirement, the Michigan State Board of Education hired search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates. The firm ran 42 focus groups, spoke with more than 200 people, and drew 33 applicants, from which the board picked seven semifinalists.

Then

The board planned to interview the seven semifinalists publicly in August 2025, name finalists the week of Aug. 25, and make a formal appointment at its Sept. 9 meeting.

Now

The process shows the standard Michigan pattern: a national search, community input, public interviews, and a board vote.

Why this matters now

GRPS is running the same kind of process with Ray & Associates, making the state's 2025 search a useful comparison for timeline and candidate-pool expectations.

May 2026

Kenowa Hills superintendent search (2026)

Neighboring Kenowa Hills Public Schools, also in Kent County, picked three finalists for its top job: Randy Barton, Mitch Balingit, and Cherie Horner. The board used the Michigan Leadership Institute and held public interviews on May 14, aiming to start the new leader July 1.

Then

The board hoped to make a final decision after the May 14 interviews and have the new superintendent begin July 1, following Superintendent Jerry Hopkins's retirement June 30.

Now

The parallel shows how nearby West Michigan districts move quickly from finalist interviews to a July 1 start.

Why this matters now

Kenowa Hills illustrates the typical speed and public process of a Kent-area superintendent search, setting expectations for GRPS's timeline.

Sources

(9)
+3
WZZM 13 Grand Rapids Public Schools Michigan Department of Education School News Network MLive WOODTV FOX 17 Grand Rapids Public Schools MLive