Since 2024, David Murphy has served as the interim superintendent of the Cambridge Public School District. Despite the significant title of interim superintendent, many people still wonder what the position means. The Register Forum seeks to answer this question.
In the state of Massachusetts, every school district has a committee of elected officials. In Cambridge, there are seven positions on the school committee. “Their responsibility is to represent the community,” Murphy explained to the Register Forum. “They essentially set the rules for the school system.” Along with these committee members, there is a superintendent, whose job it is to enforce the rules. “[Committee members] have the authority to elect a person as superintendent,” Murphy told the RF. “This person essentially serves as the chief executive.” Finding a superintendent is a long process, requiring interviews and extensive discussions. “It is a big decision for the committee,” Murphy explained. “Committee members have to figure out the type of leader the district needs at the moment.”
When a superintendent steps down, it can take a while for committee members to decide on a permanent replacement. During this decision process, the committee will appoint someone to temporarily fill the role, an “interim” superintendent. “An interim superintendent has the same power as a permanent superintendent,” Murphy told the RF. “The label ‘interim’ just implies that there is a search going on for someone permanent. After a reasonable time period, someone will be chosen for that permanent role.” It is difficult to predict how long that period of time will be, since the hiring process can be unpredictable. “Every hiring process is different,” Murphy illustrated to the RF. “It is highly dependent on the timing and the circumstances.”
The last permanent superintendent for the Cambridge Public School District, Victoria Greer, stepped down from her position in 2024. “At that point, it was really late in the year,” Murphy explained to the RF. “The committee did not yet have someone lined up to permanently replace her position. This meant that they needed an interim superintendent.” The committee decided that it would be optimal to choose someone already working in the Cambridge district to fill this role. Murphy was a logical choice, given his work experience and position in the district. “I have been doing this kind of work for fifteen years or so,” Murphy told the RF. “I was the deputy superintendent for the Boston Public Schools, and assistant superintendent for the Medford Public Schools. A little over two years ago, I was hired here as chief operating officer for the Cambridge school district.” Committee members came to the decision that Murphy was the best candidate, and offered him the position. “The summer after Dr. Greer left, I was offered the position of interim superintendent.”
As interim superintendent, Murphy will act as the chief executive of the Cambridge Public Schools until a permanent superintendent is elected.
This article also appears in our April 2025 print edition.
