The Fairfax County School Board announced their pick for their preferred candidate for Superintendent.

The board unanimously selected Dr. Karen Garza from the Lubbock Independent School District in Lubbock, Texas at their meeting on April 6.

Dr. Garza has been Superintendent of the Lubbock ISD for the past four years.

Members of the FCPS School Board will travel to Texas to visit the Lubbock School District and Dr. Garza is expected to become Superintendent of FCPS on July 1.

Dr. Garza will replace outgoing Superintendent Dr. Jack Dale who has been FCPS Superintendent since 2004. In September 2011, he announced that he would not renew his contract with FCPS and retire in June 2013.

The Fairfax County School Board selected Dr. Garza after considering 47 different candidates from across the country.

In a press release, Dr. Garza said that she is “humbled and very thankful to the Board and the whole FCPS community for this wonderful opportunity. Fairfax County Public Schools has a long tradition of excellence and has consistently been one of the premier school systems in the country.”