A top schools official is leaving Philadelphia to become Baltimore's superintendent

Jermaine Dawson, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr.’s top academic official, is leaving the Philadelphia School District.

Dawson was appointed as the new CEO of the Baltimore school system at a special meeting Monday, according to the Baltimore Banner.

Dawson has been Watlington’s deputy superintendent for academics for nearly two years. He came to Philadelphia from Birmingham, Ala.

Dawson is an Atlanta native and former math teacher who has said his style is shaped by his experiences growing up in poverty and sometimes experiencing homelessness.

Dawson will officially start his new job July 1, but is expected to spend time in Baltimore shadowing current CEO Sonja Santelises before.

In Philadelphia, where he is paid $277,173 annually, Dawson was known as loyal to Watlington, who recruited him.

In a message to district employees Monday, Watlington credited Dawson with improving the district’s academic performance.

“Please join me in thanking Dr. Dawson for helping to accelerate student achievement faster than big city peer districts in several areas of the Nation’s Report Card as well as state assessments in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” he wrote in the email, obtained by The Inquirer.

His departure comes at a key time for the district, which is facing major changes with looming school closures and a looming $300 million budget gap that will mean teacher, counselor, and other classroom cuts.

Watlington said Brenda Elliott, the current associate superintendent of student life and innovation, will serve as interim deputy superintendent of academics when Dawson leaves.

“I have every confidence that Dr. Brenda Elliott will build on our academic progress. She is a battle-tested leader who provides collaborative, data driven and results-oriented leadership that leads to improved student outcomes,” Watlington wrote in his email.