This article profiles William Hite, Jr., a longtime educator and administrator, who began his career more than two decades ago as a high school athletic coach. Hite says his biggest passion is educating young people. And one of the best ways to serve students, he says, is by listening. Hite, 51, assumed his duties as Philadelphia's new superintendent on September 17, officially becoming leader of the country's eighth largest school district. An urban district of more than 146,000 students, Philadelphia faces significant challenges, including high poverty rates and low-performing schools, that are compounded by a projected budget deficit up to $282 million. Hite is also facing alleged cheating on standardized tests in some schools in previous years. Although he could not give details, he plans to put controls in place to ensure it does not happen again. But as the former superintendent of Prince George's County (Maryland) Public Schools, an urban district with similar problems, Hite is ready for the challenge.