UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) — Prince George’s County has named a District of Columbia educator as its interim schools chief.

School officials say Alvin Crawley, the deputy chief of programming for the district’s special education office, will take over Sept. 4. He will replace Superintendent William R. Hite Jr., who stepped down to lead the Philadelphia school system. The county school board has said it expects to select a permanent replacement by next spring.

School board Chairman Verjeana M. Jacobs said in a statement that Crawley will provide stability as the board searches for a new superintendent.

Crawley, who has never led a school district, takes over a 123,000-student system that has also lost its deputy superintendent and several senior administrators in the past two months.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)