Ehren Jarrett, Rockford’s longest-serving superintendent in 60 years, will not renew his contract

March 24, 2025|By Kevin Haas|In Rockford, Top Stories, Featured, Rock River Current, News, 815 News, Local
Rockford Public Schools Superintendent Ehren Jarrett answers questions Thursday, Oct. 30, 2024, about Rockford Public Schools performance on state standardized tests after Illinois State Report Card data was released. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Ehren Jarrett, who is the longest-serving Rockford Public Schools superintendent in 60 years, will not seek a renewal of his contract when it expires next year.

Jarrett announced his decision Monday in a news release. He was not available for interviews following the announcement.

He said in a statement that he will continue in the role until his contract expires on June 30, 2026. He made the announcement now to give the school board ample time to conduct a search for his successor. The board of education will share more information on that process in the coming months, the release said.

“While I have made the decision not to seek another contract with the Rockford Public Schools, I plan to be fully engaged with my duties as RPS superintendent until my current contract ends on June 30, 2026,” Jarrett said in the release.

Jarrett said since taking the helm in 2013, he has been focused on academic achievement, equity and stronger community partnerships.

“His tenure has been marked by a steadfast commitment to improving educational outcomes and building a brighter future for Rockford’s students and families,” the release stated.

Jarrett’s continued future with the district was tied to improving educational outcomes when school board members decided in December 2023 to extend his contract for two years.

The benchmarks included improving graduation rates from about 69% up to 75% and improving state proficiency standards for English language arts, also called Illinois Assessment of Readiness literacy rates, from 18% to 20%.

The district’s graduation rate had improved to 73.5% at the end of last school year, according to the most recent State Report Card released in October. The literacy rates improved to 23%.

The data collected during this school year will be released this coming October.

Jarrett is the longest-serving Rockford Public Schools superintendent since W.R. McIntosh held the role from 1950-65. McIntosh later had an elementary school named in his honor. Consistency in the district’s top job was rare before Jarrett took office. When he was hired in 2013, Jarrett was the 11th superintendent to serve in 14 years.

History | Rockford Public Schools superintendents

  • P. R. Walker (1884-1913)
  • R. G. Jones (1913-1917)
  • Carroll R. Reed (1917-1920)
  • E. E. Lewis (1920-1923)
  • Frank A. Jensen (1923-1935)
  • W. W. Ankenbrand (1935-1937)
  • S. H. Berg (1937-1947)
  • P. L. Ewing (1947-1950)
  • W. R. McIntosh (1950-1965)
  • Thomas A. Shaheen (1965-1970)
  • Herbert B. Smith (1970-1971 acting superintendent)
  • Robert G. Salisbury (1971-1974)
  • Arthur T. Johnson (1974-1984)
  • Millard D. Grell (1984-1988)
  • John C. Swanson (88-89 interim superintendent)
  • Maurice E. Sullivan (1989-1992)
  • William Bowen (1992-1993)
  • Ronald L. Epps (1994-1999)
  • Ellen V. Bueschel (1999-2000)
  • Alan S. Brown (2000-2003)
  • Joyce Price (2003-2003 acting superintendent and chief education officer)
  • Ellen V. Bueschel (2003-2004 interim superintendent)
  • Dennis Thompson (2004-2007)
  • Linda Hernandez (2007-2009 includes time as acting and interim superintendent)
  • LaVonne M. Sheffield (2009-2011)
  • Theresa Kallstrom (2011-2011 acting superintendent)
  • Robert Willis (2011-2013 interim)
  • Ehren Jarrett (July 1, 2013-present)

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas