Mary Outley has been here before, leading Akron Public Schools on a interim basis.
Outley served as interim superintendent when Christine Fowler Mack resigned in 2023. And on Tuesday, when Michael Robinson was placed on administrative leave, Outley, a longtime administrator, was once again tapped to temporarily lead the school district.
Gregory Clark, who has known Outley since they were young — he used to hang out with her brothers — said Outley has a lot to offer if she’s given the opportunity to become Akron’s education leader in a full-time capacity.
“She’s a lady about her business and she cares about the students at Akron Public Schools,” said Clark, a safety team leader and assistant coach at Buchtel Community Learning Center.
“I know that for sure.”
Akron Mayor expects Outley to ‘help lead our city’s school district forward’
Outley graduated from Buchtel Community Learning Center in 1985. She graduated from the University of Akron’s College of Education with a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Science in Education and holds a professional license as an elementary teacher, principal and superintendent, according to APS.
Before being named interim superintendent, Outley served as the school district’s executive director for school leadership.
“Akron Public Schools is an essential institution in our community, and I know that Interim Superintendent Mary Outley and the outstanding staff and leadership at APS will help lead our city’s school district forward,” Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said in a statement.
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“I am confident in their abilities and unwavering commitment to Akron’s students, and I look forward to working with the entire APS team as we continue building on a strong city / school district partnership for the benefit of all Akron residents. In this moment, we all need to rally around APS, and focus on how to best uplift and support APS staff, teachers, and most importantly, Akron’s students,” the mayor wrote.
Outley is a past president of the Akron Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (2022-24). In 2020, she was selected as a member of Leadership Akron’s Signature Class 37. The program aims to educate the city’s top leaders about local companies and organizations while creating bonds with other participants.
Outley, who has also taught, is held in high regard by Michael Irby, a longtime APS teacher, administrator and coach. Irby and Outley serve on the Akron NAACP’s education committee, one of many ways their professional paths have crossed over the years.
“She’s always presented herself as a lady with integrity,” Irby said. “She enjoys working with young people, and I know she’s been with Akron Public Schools for quite a while.
“The school system is in good hands. Most of the teachers and administrators downtown, they are totally aware of her as a person. Akron Public Schools right now is in good hands, and that’s a good thing.”
Why does Akron Public Schools have an interim superintendent?
Robinson on Tuesday evening was placed on leave during a special meeting of the Akron Board of Education. The school board voted 4-1 with two abstentions to do so after reviewing a 24-page investigative report that concluded the superintendent intimidated, bullied, harassed and threatened employees and at least one board member.
Robinson’s future with the school district is unknown.
“We anticipate a final decision will be made by the next scheduled board meeting on April 28,” said Carla Jackson, the school board president.
What immediate issues may land on Outley’s agenda?
The list is believed to include negotiations with all seven of the unions whose employees work in the school district; the Akron Police Department, whose officers work as some schools; the continued recruitment of teachers and staff; DEI policies; and navigating budget cuts demanded by the school board.
What’s at stake for Akron Public Schools as school board members decide Robinson’s fate?
Akron Public Schools serves more than 20,000 students across 47 schools and community learning centers. The school district employs more than 4,000 people, making it one of the city’s largest employers. It also operates an annual budget of about $500 million.
Will Outley impact current negotiations between APS and its unions?
Outley sits on the district’s union negotiating team, which is currently beginning contract negotiations with each of the district’s seven unions.
Recently, the IT workers across APS publicly asked the administration to voluntarily recognize their union.
Pat Shipe, the president of the Akron Teachers Association, said her organization has asked to sit down with Outley and discuss the many grievances and unfair labor practice charges the union has filed against the district under Robinson’s leadership.
“We hope that she and the board have the same desire to resolve pending grievances so that we may begin the process of rebuilding relationships and restoring the district focus back to our students, staff, families, and the success of Akron Public Schools,” Shipe told Signal Akron via text.
Does Outley have ambitions to become a school superintendent?
If the superintendent position becomes vacant, Outley’s interest in the position is unknown. She was, however, a candidate for the top job in 2023.