School Superintendent Diane Gullett is leaving to take a new job. Now we know what it is.
Austin L. Miller
- Marion County School Superintendent Diane Gullett will be joining the Bailey Education Group as Chief Academic Officer.
- Gullett's last day as superintendent is July 11.
- The school board is currently discussing how to replace Gullett, including appointing an interim superintendent.
- Gullett has served as superintendent since 2020, guiding the district through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marion County School Superintendent Diane Gullett has accepted a position with an education company.
In an email, Pat Ross, president of Bailey Education Group, LLC, wrote to the Star-Banner: "As indicated in our recent social media posts, I can confirm that Dr. Diane Gullett will be joining the Bailey Education Group team as the Chief Academic Officer. At the appropriate time, we will release a formal statement with additional details. Until then, her primary focus remains on supporting the students, staff, and school board of Marion County Schools."
Bailey Education Group, LLC, is based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, its website shows. The site mentions that Bailey "is committed to partnering with all schools and districts to improve the lives of all children through customized professional development and side-by-side teacher coaching, performed by certified instructional coaches with a deep understanding of state standards of Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies."
Some examples of what are labeled as "fun facts":
"92% of our company's workforce and leaders hold advanced degrees in their respective area of expertise," and "68% of our team holds specialty certifications related to work."
"With an impressive background in educational leadership, Dr. Gullett has been at the forefront of driving student achievement and organizational excellence," Bailey said in its Facebook post announcing that Gullett was joining its team.
The Star-Banner requested a comment from Gullett but had not received one by publication time.
Earlier this month, Gullett said she was leaving her post as superintendent and her last day would be July 11. Gullett did not give a reason for her resignation. She later told the Star-Banner she had accepted another opportunity but did not elaborate. She also said she would not be moving out of Marion County.
The first appointed superintendent for the county, Gullett started in 2020. She guided the district through COVID-19 and other challenges. The district has close to 50,000 students and nearly 7,000 employees. Her annual salary is more than $230,000.
Marion County School Board members now are discussing the process by which they will replace Gullett. On March 24, a representative from the Florida School Board Association appeared by Zoom to talk to the board about different steps it can take.
While nothing has been set, board members agreed they need an interim superintendent before selecting someone to take over Gullett's job full time. Board members plan to meet again the week of March 31 to talk more about the subject.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com