A day after the selection of a new school superintendent, a broad cross section of Boston parents, community activists, and educators said they were looking forward to the prospect of finally having a permanent leader in place for the first time in nearly two years.
Tommy Chang, currently an instructional area superintendent in Los Angeles, is expected to start the job by July 1.
“Things have been on hold, and I’m looking forward to long-term stability and relationships,” said Megan Wolf, a member of Quality Education for Every Student, a parents organization.
Mayor Martin J. Walsh touted the School Committee’s decision to offer Chang the job during a speech Wednesday, eliciting applause from about 200 business and civic leaders.
“Dr. Chang is a rising star,” Walsh said. “He has a record of taking on the toughest challenges and succeeding. As an immigrant who learned English in school, his own life is a testament to the transforming power of education.”
In his role in Los Angeles, Chang oversees more than 130 low-achieving schools. He also has served as principal of a charter school and taught biology. Richard Stutman, president of the Boston Teachers Union, said he was not concerned about having a former charter school leader running the school system.
“I wish him luck,” Stutman said. “I expect we will be able to work together. He’s worked in big cities before and understands how things operate. He’s an accomplished person.”
Charter school leaders hope Chang will build upon the collaboration between the school system, charter schools, and parochial schools that began during Johnson’s tenure.
“We are excited to learn about his vision for collaboration, and we are eager to work with him,” said Shannah Varon, executive director of Boston Collegiate Charter School and chairwoman of the Boston Charter School Alliance.
The city and Chang have begun negotiations for a contract, a challenging and often tedious task. Michael O’Neill, the School Committee chairman, has stressed that Chang’s hiring will not be official until a deal is signed. That caution comes with good reason.
Eight years ago, Manuel J. Rivera, then superintendent in Rochester, N.Y., abruptly withdrew as contract negotiations dragged on for four months, with sticking points emerging over pay for unused vacation and sick time and terms of a contract buyout. It was a humiliating setback for Mayor Thomas M. Menino, and ultimately paved the way for the hiring of Carol R. Johnson several months later.
John McDonough, who has been serving as interim superintendent since Johnson retired in August 2013, vowed to work with Chang on a smooth transition during a School Committee meeting Wednesday night, the day after the vote.
“Serving as interim of the Boston public schools has been the honor of my career, and I expect Dr. Chang will find his experience as equally rewarding,” McDonough said. “I have high hopes and great expectations about what he will be able to do here and to build on the incredible history of this school district.”
James Vaznis can be reached at jvaznis@globe.com. Mark Arsenault of the Globe staff contributed to this report.