After four years leading MCPS, superintendent Joshua P. Starr’s future at the helm of the school system could be in doubt. According to anonymous accounts reported by the Washington Post yesterday, the school board is likely to reject Starr’s bid to renew his tenure as superintendent when his contract runs out at the end of the school year.

According to the Post, four members of the eight-person board oppose renewing Starr’s contract, one vote short of the majority he needs for authorization to continue running the 154,000-student system.

As the Post’s Donna St. George reported, several board members resent the superintendent’s apparent national profile; they fear his heart isn’t in Montgomery County. Many speculate that his penchant for taking high-profile stances on hot-button issues like standardized testing and his seeming interest in taking control of New York City public schools might indicate Starr’s focus isn’t on the interests of MCPS students.

These board members were also allegedly unhappy with Starr’s leadership approach: they say they believe he failed to cultivate close relations with the school board and failed to make progress on closing the racial and economic achievement gap in MCPS.

As a result, sources reportedly told the Washington Post that these board members are asking Starr to consider terms for departure rather than a renewal of contract.

There are two quick caveats to consider, however. For one, Starr has not yet even submitted his official request for renewal, which is due Feb. 1. In addition, the vote has not been taken and won’t be until March 1. That leaves plenty of time for minds to change and this result to be averted.

This sudden turn of fate for Starr comes on the heels of a series of reports that have highlighted the progress his administration has made over the past couple years. Just last week, MCPS released statistics documenting MCPS graduation rates rising to 89.7 percent, an all-time high, up from 88.3 percent the year before. And despite complaints that Starr has failed to close the achievement gap, data released from Maryland’s Department of Education two days ago showed that the achievement gap in Montgomery County between white and African-American/Hispanic students has fallen from 12.6 to 8.8 percent.

Acting assistant principal Sandra Reece spoke warmly of Starr’s efforts over the past couple years, noting his intense work at eliminating the achievement gap. He wants to help “all students regardless of race, ethnicity, poverty, or anything else,” she said. “He really believes we can overcome all of those.”

Reece mentioned Starr’s “strategic plan” for MCPS, which put renewed focus on social-emotional health as a means of empowering students. That means “paying attention to the whole person,” she said. “That to me is the biggest and most significant part.”

Removing Starr wouldn’t be as simple as a change of personnel. It would entail weeks of searching, vetting and approving eligible candidates. It would also leave the strategic direction of MCPS up in the air, angering many who believe that MCPS should be emphasizing continuity and rewarding Starr’s success.

As Maryland state legislator Rich Madaleno wrote in a Facebook post lambasting the board’s decision, “On the same day many of us are learning from the Washington Post Editorial Board that a split Montgomery County school board may be dismissing our superintendent for…his inability to close the achievement gaps between different ethnic groups, the Maryland Department of Education released new graduation statistics that show meaningful progress in reducing these gaps.”

He continued, “Interesting coincidence. It might even be labeled ironic. But why should data get in the way of personal passions?”

The first indication of Starr’s future will come in early February, when he will have to decide whether to submit a proposal for contract renewal.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that administrators would meet with students during the school day today to discuss the issue. That sentence should have concluded the story “Annual Breck trip one to remember.” Students who were on the trip will meet with administrators seventh period Friday. Students will not be meeting to discuss Dr. Starr.