Fulton County Schools Appoints New Superintendent

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — After an extensive national search, and an engaging public input period, the Fulton County Board of Education voted today to name Dr. Michael “Mike” Looney as its next Superintendent.

“Dr. Looney’s experience and approach are the right fit for our schools at the right time,” President Linda Bryant said in a release. “We have great confidence and optimism in his abilities. He has shown the willingness to be transparent, listen to the community, comes with a track record of results in student achievement, and is thoughtful in his approach toward teaching and learning, the most important role of the Superintendent.”

During the special called meeting, the board voted to approve a three-year contract with Looney. He will begin his duties in Fulton County on June 17.

“As I was going through the interview process, I heard from the Board how incredibly talented Fulton County students are and about the dedicated teachers, principals and staff. When I visited, I saw this firsthand and became even more excited about serving this community,” Looney said in a release. “I plan to spend the first 90 days getting to know the people and digging deeper into Strategic Plan 2022. There is a great deal of outstanding effort going on and a vision already in place. My first job will be to evaluate what is working well and what challenges Fulton Schools have to tackle in order to improve for the future.”

Currently the Superintendent of Schools in Williamson County, Tennessee, Looney has been a superintendent for almost 14 years in total and has over 25 years of experience in education. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Looney started his educational career as a substitute teacher. He has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent. He earned a Doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Alabama and holds two Masters degrees in Education Leadership Endorsement and Education from Jacksonville State University.

The district said Looney's qualifications line up directly with the key elements identified by the board and confirmed in their recent community survey. For the last 10 years he has served as the Superintendent for Schools in Williamson County, Tennessee, near Nashville. Under Looney, ACT scores have risen from an average of 22.7 to 25.4, and the district has increased participation and pass rates in AP, dual enrollment and dual credit courses. In 2015, Looney was named by his peers as the Tennessee Superintendent of the Year.

A Marine veteran and recipient of the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Looney worked his way up the educational leadership ladder from substitute teacher, to teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and finally superintendent. He previously served as superintendent of the Butler County School District in Alabama, and as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in Montgomery, Alabama. In 2008, he was named the Greenville, Alabama Citizen of the Year.

To learn more about Looney and to see an overview of the board’s search process, visit the FCS board’s website Superintendent Search Update.