Robert Doty, the chief operations officer at the Minneapolis Public Schools, is leaving to oversee the finances and operations of the Harvest Network of Schools, a group of highly rated charter schools in the city. He will begin his new job on Sept. 14.

Doty, who came to the district in late 2011, is the latest top executive to leave the district since interim Superintendent Michael Goar took over in February. Doty was overseeing the district's move toward a new and controversial budgeting model, a five-year athletic strategic plan and other initiatives.

"I'm thrilled to be joining the Harvest Network of Schools at such a critical time in its development as it is prepared to implement an ambitious growth plan," Doty said in a statement.

Harvest Network, which operates Harvest Preparatory School, Best Academy and Mastery School, enrolls thousands of Minneapolis students each year.

After falling short on its enrollment projections last year, Doty said the district underestimated the effect that charter schools would have on the number of students enrolling in the Minneapolis district.

"As we grow to serve 3,800 students in north Minneapolis over the next decade, Robert's experience in finance, operations and administration will be a great value to us as the size and complexity of our organization increases," said Eric Mahmoud, Harvest Network's CEO.

Alejandra Matos • 612-673-4028