Dr. Alex Cherniss is a former BHUSD teacher, principal and assistant superintendent of business services. (photo courtesy of BHUSD)

The Beverly Hills Unified School District Board of Education announced on April 10 the appointment of Dr. Alex Cherniss as the next superintendent. The decision was approved by the board in a 3-2 vote, with Board President Rachelle Marcus and Board Member Amanda Stern voting against the approval.

“Dr. Cherniss is a proven, visionary leader whose deep connection to BHUSD and track record of success in high-performing districts make him the ideal choice to lead our schools into the future,” Board Vice President Judith Manouchehri said in a statement. “Our community values academic excellence, transparency and strong communication – and Dr. Cherniss brings the leadership and experience to deliver on those priorities.”

“His track record is absolutely unbelievable and his record speaks for itself,” board member Russell Stuart said. “Obviously there’s no one in their career who’s going to go through multiple school districts without any kind of controversies. We’ve investigated them all thoroughly and we feel incredibly confident that he is the right man for the job, and I think that we’re going to see an absolute about-face in the direction that the BHUSD has been going in for the last 10 years. I’m feeling very confident about the future.”

Cherniss most recently served as superintendent of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District. He was placed on administrative leave by the PYLUSD Board of Education in December 2024, pending an internal review. While the Placentia-Yorba Linda board stated that it could not release further details due to confidentiality protocols, the vote came shortly after Cherniss said he filed a hostile work environment claim against the board’s president Marilyn Anderson.

Although Marcus voted against Cherniss’ approval, she applauded his new role in a statement provided by the district.

“Dr. Cherniss’ experience, integrity and vision will serve our students and families well,” Marcus said. “We are honored to welcome him back to Beverly Hills, where his leadership journey began.”

Marcus could not be reached for additional comment.

Cherniss previously served in BHUSD as a math teacher at Beverly Vita Middle School, Hawthorne principal, director of human resources and assistant superintendent of business services. He has also served as superintendent in three Southern California school districts: San Marino Unified School District, California’s highest-ranked unified district during his tenure; Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, with a 98% graduation rate; and Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, serving over 22,000 students and recognized for academic excellence.

A press release from the BHUSD highlighted two programs launched by Cherniss at PYLUSD. He launched the Orange County School of Computer Sciences, a middle school academy offering hands-on learning in robotics, entrepreneurship, gaming and animatronics. He also created the Universal Sports Institute, a unique program designed for homeschool students and elite athletes, combining high-level athletic training with flexible online learning. Both programs expanded student opportunities and generated new revenue for the district, according to the BHUSD.

Cherniss also served as chief financial officer for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, managing the budgets of 80 school districts totaling more than $14 billion.

He holds a doctorate in education from USC’s Rossier School of Education, where he has taught doctoral courses in school finance. According to the BHUSD, his leadership philosophy emphasizes equity, innovation and collaboration.

The board’s selection follows a monthslong search and community engagement process, including a survey that identified academic achievement, transparency and effective communication as top community priorities.

Cherniss’ contract will be formally presented for approval at the board meeting on Tuesday, April 15. If approved, Cherniss will officially step into the role on June 1.

Following Cherniss’ appointment, acting superintendent Dr. Jason Hasty will continue in his role overseeing the district’s business services department.

To view a video message from Cherniss, visit youtube.com/watch?v=8SyXC9OXntY.