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Dublin City Schools’ search for a new superintendent is starting over. The Board of Education announced Friday that it is ending its search after failing to reach a compensation agreement with DeMarcos “Marco” Holland, the sole finalist named just weeks earlier.

A District in Crisis

The search became necessary after former Superintendent Fred Williams resigned in September after a decade leading the district. His departure came amid serious financial turmoil: a state audit revealed “waste and abuse” in Dublin City Schools’ finances, and the district faced a “perfect storm” of issues, according to state auditors. Officials had been working to recover from a financial crisis that left the system unable to make payroll the previous year, and the district faced a 25% tax increase while simultaneously becoming insolvent, with the state having to advance funding to ensure teachers could be paid.

Interim Superintendent Marcee Poole managed district operations following Williams’ departure.

Launching the Search

In January 2026, Dublin City Schools began a nationwide search for a new superintendent to lead the financially-troubled district back to stability, with the Georgia School Boards Association conducting the search at no cost to the district — a critical cost-saving measure as officials worked to recover from the crisis.

Newly elected school board member Jeff Davis, a Dublin native and graduate of Dublin High School, said the district needed transformational leadership to address its issues, adding that the board needed “visionaries and people that aren’t afraid to really make hard choices.” Davis said the board was looking for someone with experience and a documented history of success who could provide strong leadership as the district rebuilds — someone “up to a challenge” who wants to be a “visionary change agent.”

Board members completed a survey to identify desired qualifications and characteristics for candidates, and the Georgia School Boards Association then recruited and vetted applicants based on those criteria. The search was expected to take up to four months.

A Finalist, Then a Breakdown

That timeline held, briefly. On June 17, Dublin City Schools named Holland its sole finalist. The district identified him as chief human resources officer for Marietta City Schools, where he oversees human resources operations for more than 1,400 employees and serves on the superintendent’s executive cabinet. The district said Holland brought more than two decades of experience in public education, including work as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, district leader, and executive-level administrator.

But the appointment never made it to a formal vote. In a news release Friday, the board said it was ending the search after failing to reach a compensation agreement with Holland. The board said it still believes Holland is the right person to lead the district but could not agree to a package that was both “tolerable for the Board” and “respectful to the District’s current financial situation.”

According to the board, both sides understood from the outset that Holland would take a salary reduction to become Dublin City Schools superintendent. However, the board said any potential agreement would have required “too great of a sacrifice” from either Holland or the district. The statement did not disclose the salary discussed or how far apart the two sides were.

Board members said Holland was notified Friday that they were concluding the search, and the board said it does not fault him for the outcome.

What Comes Next

The board plans to extend Interim Superintendent Marcee Poole’s contract through July 31 while it develops a new plan for the district’s leadership. No timeline has been announced for when a new search might begin.

For a district already navigating the fallout of financial mismanagement and a payroll crisis, the collapsed negotiation adds fresh uncertainty. The district’s financial constraints — the same conditions that pushed it into insolvency last year — now appear to be shaping its ability to compete for leadership talent, complicating the very recovery a new superintendent was meant to lead.

This story is based on reporting from 13WMAZ, Marietta City Schools, the Dublin City Schools Board of Education, and other public sources. It will be updated as the district announces next steps.