Most local officials would jump at the chance to take their talents to Washington. Who wouldn't want national influence? Apparently not Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. He claims he turned down a job offer from Obama's secretary of education Arne Duncan.
"The truth is that he offered me a position and I did not accept it," Carvalho said in Spanish on WQBA-AM. "I agree with him that there's a need at the local level for leadership to continue improving the quality of education in our community. It's very important. I love this community."
The Miami Herald reports that Duncan had offered Carvalho a gig as an assistant secretary of education.
After taking over for controversial former Superintendent Rudy Crew in 2008, Carvalho has lead the district with a steady hand. Teacher layoffs have been avoided and test scores are up.
"I call it the 'Miami miracle,'" Carvalho told New Times back in November. "We've struck a very different course from Broward County's. And we're getting very different results."
And it appears that he's going to keep his miracle working in Miami for the time being.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.