Cleveland Chief Announces Departure Just Days After Major Levy Defeat

Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the chief executive officer of the Cleveland public schools, announced Friday that she is stepping down from her job, a move that comes three days after voters soundly defeated a levy designed to bolster the troubled district.

Ms. Byrd-Bennett said in a statement Aug. 5 that she would not seek to renew her contract when it expires at the end of September, but would remain in the district for up to a year to help facilitate a smooth transition to new leadership. She said she had decided before the Aug. 2 vote on the levy, Issue 3, that the current contract term would be her last.

“It has been my privilege to serve as CEO of this district for nearly seven years,” she said. “But there comes a time for change. … I have been considering the future for some time and would have reached the same decision regardless of the outcome...