Education secretary applauds pick for Atlanta schools leader

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Monday praised the selection of Austin Superintendent Meria Carstarphen as the sole finalist to become superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools.

“Meria’s record as a superintendent speaks for itself — student achievement that outperformed many urban school systems across the country and graduation rates that set new highs for Austin,” Duncan said in a statement. “I admire Meria’s deep belief in serving all students and holding herself accountable for their success.”

The Atlanta Board of Education could vote to hire Carstarphen at its April 14 meeting.