Board Names Superintendent

Indian Prairie School District’s Board of Education is recommending Dr. John Price as the district's next superintendent. The board is expected to vote on Dr. Price’s appointment at its December 15, 2025 meeting. He will replace Dr. Adrian Talley, who will be departing the district in June. 

John Price is a career educator who began teaching on Chicago’s near west side at a Catholic elementary school. He started as a volunteer teacher, and the school redirected his salary to provide tuition scholarships for students in need. That early experience shaped his belief in education as a form of service, a mindset he has carried throughout his twenty-five-year career.

Dr. Price served as the principal of Audubon Elementary School, a Chicago Public School, for five years. Before leaving Audubon in 2011, the school earned the distinguished Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence from the U.S. Department of Education in recognition for outstanding improvement of student learning. After leaving Audubon, Dr. Price moved into district leadership for Chicago Public Schools. He served as a regional superintendent, supervising elementary and high schools for three years before leaving to become the Assistant Superintendent in Evanston, also for three years.

Dr. Price most recently served as Superintendent of North Chicago School District 187, a role he has held since July 2017. During his tenure, he worked to stabilize the district’s leadership and implement aggressive instructional improvement initiatives focusing on the youngest learners. Over the past seven years, the district strengthened teacher retention, increased high school graduation rates, and maintained a consistent annual budget surplus. The district also experienced an increase in philanthropic support, including a $40 million gift from AbbVie that funded the construction of a new middle school. In partnership with a dedicated group of volunteers, Dr. Price helped establish the North Chicago Public Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to providing every North Chicago Community High School graduate with access to college at no cost. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than one hundred full-ride scholarships to graduating students.

Board President Laurie Donahue stated that Dr. Price demonstrated the priorities established by the board through the competitive search process which included interviews, focus groups, and surveys. An accomplished superintendent, Dr. Price brings a strong record of success in strategic planning, innovation, fiscal management, and advancing student achievement. He is a collaborative leader with a deep commitment to ensuring that every student thrives.

“The Board is confident Dr. Price will continue to foster and expand excellence in Indian Prairie,” Donahue said. “We believe he will be a strong leader and dedicated advocate for our students, staff, and families.”

John is a California native who has lived in Chicago since 2001 with his wife, Cheryl, and their two children, ages 22 and 19.

Pending board approval, Dr. Price will start July 1, 2026. The Superintendent's three-year contract is on the district's website.

The community is invited to meet Dr. Price at a special reception at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora on Thursday, January 15, 2026 from 4:30 - 5:30 PM.