Denise Carlin will be the next superintendent of Lee County Schools.
Carlin earned three votes to every one vote her opponent Victor Arias received.
Florida and Alabama are the only states in the U.S. that allow for superintendents to be elected should that be the will of the people. And it was the will of the people two years ago when 62% of voters said yes, bring politics back into this position.
The coveted spot used to be the result of extensive national searches and multiple interviews by selection committees and elected school board members. That’s the way it’s settled in major cities in Florida. Lee County now is the largest public school district in the state that’s allowing voters to select the superintendent of public schools.
This is the first time Lee County voters got to pick a superintendent since the 1970s.
Carlin spent neatly two decades in Lee public schools as a school teacher or an administrator. In 2012 she went to the district's main office and served in many roles including in human resources and communications.
Carlin has spent all but two years of her life living in Lee County. Raised in Cape Coral, she earned her associate's degree from Edison Community College. She earned her advanced degrees including a doctorate at University of South Florida.
She retired in 2023 thinking she would help guide a politician seeking the top school's spots. When none stepped forward, Carlin said she was encouraged to run.
Carlin replaces Superintendent Ken Savage. This is the second time Savage has served in the top spot during a transition period.
