Seeking a superintendent
Philadelphia has just approved a contract for a new school district CEO; The Memphis district is going through a search process for a new leader. Many districts conduct nationwide searches with a goal of hiring someone from outside their current administration; others, such as the Shawnee Mission (Kan.) district in suburban Kansas City, have decided to stay with what they know and promoted from within.
Which is better–staying inside for the sake of continuity and employee morale, or going outside for the innovation and fresh perspective of a new leader? Is promoting from within a sign of loyalty or an indication of complacency? As it becomes harder to find high-quality candidates interested in superintendent jobs, is it better to forgo an expensive and possibly fruitless search for outside candidates?
Tell us what you think….Leave a comment below.
March 25th, 2008 @ 9:00 am
As someone on the inside who was passed over for the superintendency years ago, mainly because a previous superintendent who had been promoted from the inside didn’t work out, I have felt the frustration of being denied the top spot. However, it opened me to new opportunities in other districts. I think there is not one answer. I am retiring this year, and there are inside candidates to replace me, but the board wants to see what else is out there as well. I think the district will be well-served by this approach. It is sometimes hard to be a teacher in a building and move to principal or, in the same way, a building or district administrator and move to the top spot. People know you in a different role and your relationships are not the same.
March 25th, 2008 @ 9:08 am
Short answer - from within. [Our school] has practiced advancement from within the ranks for more than 50 years, and we are a National Blue Ribbon School, a top 10% performing school in New York State and in the bottom 25% cost per pupil.
Longer answer - I fully understand that one size does not fit all, but if a school district has a in-house candidate that is a finalist in the search, value must be assigned to his or her past and current commitment. It even reaches beyond the job into the community. The dynamics of community are a very important consideration.
I recommend all school districts invest in their administrators, prepare them for leadership in your district and if so be it, leadership in other school districts. Our overall educational goal–local, state and nationally–is the commitment to prepare students to be productive members of society.
March 25th, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
Whether school systems promote from within the ranks or hire from an outsider should not be the point of concern. What is important is that they should not make either choice (promoting from within or hiring from outside) as a matter of policy. Treat every candidate’s credentials objectively. Decide which candidate best suits their school system today and into the future.