Dr. Sonja Santelises is walking into her 10th and final year as CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools. 

She is feeling a mix of emotions as she prepares for her final year as CEO. She sat down with WJZ to reflect on the past decade ahead of the 2025-26 school year. 

"I have loved leading her," she said. "I love this city's young people. They are some of the most gifted young people anywhere."

Dr. Santelises said this year comes with a clearer focus on academic achievement and providing more opportunities for students. 

"I think there's more intentionality this year, because it's my last year," she said. 

Chronic absenteeism in Baltimore schools 

Dr. Santelises said she stands firm in the effort to drive down chronic absences and strengthen math and reading scores across the district. 

The City Schools CEO said she feels encouraged as the absenteeism rate has declined year over year since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

"Our chronic absenteeism is still too high, one of the highest in the state," she said. "The real name of the game is acceleration. So that, as the district transitions to new leadership, the new CEO will have the benefit of having that kind of work and that plan in motion."

Improving math and reading skills 

"We're very, very encouraged by the growth that we are seeing at our high school level," Dr. Santelises said. 

She believes that growth stems from the focus on not just reading, but writing as well. 

"We have a review and a partner that's going to work with us to be able to take some of that work to the next level," she said. "It's contributing and fueling record numbers of our African American and Latino students who are scoring three or better in AP exams. 

Dr. Santelises added that there is still a way to go when it comes to improving math scores. Though she said she is pleased to see those figures on an upward trajectory. 

"We've proven over the last 10 years that we can do growth," Dr. Santelises said. "Now, the question is accelerated growth."

As she looks to the new school year, Dr. Santelises said she's working on career readiness for students, and the work continues with efforts to develop a plan for underperforming schools across the city. 

Years of growth at Baltimore schools 

Dr. Santelises recalled the district's growth. 

"Building 30 new schools, coming in with a heating crisis, I think my first or second year, where there were 75 schools without air conditioning," she remembered. 

She said now, there are no schools without AC. She's also proud to see the expansion of school athletics to middle school students. 

"We know that involvement in productive activity when you are in middle school — be it the arts, athletics, student government — makes it far less likely you're going to be involved in gangs," she said. 

Though the years came with roadblocks. 

"I came in in a time when the system was lopsided, the city was reeling from Freddie Gray. So, we spent a lot of time putting systems in place," Dr. Santelises said. "Coming in with a deficit, knowing that we've been under-resourced for generations. Yeah, that's hard."

Baltimore City Schools CEO search 

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Santelises is also putting systems in place to allow for an easy transition of power as the Board of School Commissioners searches for a new CEO.

She has no say in who will carry the torch after her. However, she shared some advice for the next City Schools CEO. 

"Build a high-quality team," Dr. Santelises said. "Make sure you are in touch with the community… Lead like you are leading for your own children."

The Board of School Commissioners selected the firm Alma Advisory Group to help search for the next district leader. The Board hopes to appoint a new CEO by July 2026.