The Montgomery County, Md., school board voted 6-2 not to hold classes on Sept. 12 next year, when the Muslim holiday of Eid-al Adha is expected to be celebrated.
Ninety-seven percent of union members who participated in a "practice" strike vote last week supported a walkout if necessary, the union says.
The district, which borders Ferguson, has about 200 homeless students and nearly all of its students qualify for free and reduced price meals.
The short list includes the interim superintendent Michael Goar, as well as candidates from Milwaukee, Massachusetts, Houston, and Minnesota.
Despite growth, overall charter enrollment still accounts for just 6 percent of public school enrollment nationwide.
Recently introduced legislation in Congress would forgive loans over a period of seven years for principals who work in high-needs schools.
The three conservative school board members lost their seats in a hotly-contested recall election in the Denver suburb of Jefferson County, Colo.
Malika Anderson, the Achievement School District's current deputy superintendent, is a graduate of the Broad Foundation's Residency in Urban Education.
The Chicago Teachers' Union is urging its members to save up to 25 percent of their paychecks in preparation for a possible strike next year.
