As he wraps up his tenth and final year as the superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, Dr. William Hite’s next endeavor will see him become the next president & CEO of KnowledgeWorks. 

Based in Cincinnati, the national nonprofit organization works to advance a future of learning that ensures each student graduates ready for the next step. 

“What would happen if we empower all educators to engage each student’s unique learning style and personal strengths while ensuring high expectations for academic growth? We could spark a generation of confident and skilled learners ready to contribute to their communities and to the workforce,” its website reads. 

Dr. Hite’s role as president & CEO of the nonprofit will be effective July 1.

In a press release announcing the news, Dr. Hite was praised for his experience in the K-12 space and “his focus on innovation and quality, which will enable us to operationalize our personalized, competency-based learning model and scale up nationally,” said Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, chair of the KnowledgeWorks Board of Directors. 

“We also look forward to his ability to help us refine our mission in the context of equity, refocus our strategic plan and maximize our investments,” she added. 

He will oversee an annual budget of $14 million, a $125 million investment portfolio and a staff of nearly 50 in his new role. 

Dr. Hite sees this new position as an opportunity to transform systemic learning on a national scale.

“Nothing is more important than ensuring that our nation’s children have a strong education, and I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in my career to work toward that mission,” he said. 

“I’m excited to take on a new challenge in this journey and look forward to working with the KnowledgeWorks team to deploy innovative education approaches that position students to thrive in college, career and civic life,” added Dr. Hite. 

In the meantime, however, he will finish up his tenure as Superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia. 

As Superintendent, Dr. Hite oversees a $3 billion public sector organization with 206,000 students across over 300 public and charter schools. 

Since his appointment to the role in 2012, the District has seen increased student academic performance and attendance, as well as an increase of teachers of color. 

Joyce Wilkerson, School Board President, expressed much gratitude for Dr. Hite’s “continued leadership and service to the School District,” she said. “And we support his ongoing efforts to ensure a safe and consistent school year for the children and families of Philadelphia.”

The Board is currently in the process of searching for and selecting the next Philadelphia School District Superintendent. Dr. Hite will play an instrumental role in ensuring a smooth transition to the new superintendent. 

A search update will be released Monday, Jan. 31 to provide an overview of the developments and candidates connected to the search process that have taken place in the past month.