the faux community-based selection process

CLOSED “QUALITY” SELECTION PROCESS FOR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

How it works in Maryland

While I wait with growing dread for the selection committee (hired by our BOE) to pre-screen their choices, I am most perplexed that the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) staged a series of community-based forums to determine just the characteristics that would qualify our next superintendent of schools and fit the needs of our county. The results of this charade are just what you would expect: the responses given at the forum were “rehabilitated” into a list of ideals that are the voice of a partisan agenda.

Reading over the selection requirements for two very different counties, Dorchester and Anne Arundel, both seeking to fill the position of superintendent (which can be found at www.mabe.org), I am struck by the similarities in answers to each community’s questions. Let's ignore for discussion purposes the crucial cultural differences between each region and focus on the given information.

Having charted and rearranged the selection traits, I find that, although they were heralded as the collective results from community discussions, the nearly identical ideas could not possibly have been generated independently by the two vastly different communities. From my experiences at public forums, such a consensus, even with a small group is nearly impossible. These results, a consensus that is reached twice and identically, are ridiculous to consider.

I attended one of three of these forums and can recall no such mention, even by a stretch of imagination, of any of these stated “ideas from the community.” I would say that, in fact, not a single comment voiced at the community forum I attended is included in any shape that resembles the comments on this list. And in hearing accounts from others who attended the second and third forum, I have seen nothing on the list that is at all representative of their experiences.

Accountable only for my own input, I know that I said that the ideal candidate would have, as a priority, a devoted and solid, positive relationship with the teachers. BUT, as he struggled to document my idea using his laptop, the MABE selection committee member spoke aloud as he typed:

“Holds teachers accountable,” he said as he typed, “excellent point…”

“NO!” I corrected: “Gives teachers back their professional volition; develops rapport, a relationship, includes them in the educational process…” I repeated.

“Yes, teachers do need to be held accountable for the progress of the students on state standards and measurements…”

(…sound of footsteps as several people promptly left the room in frustration and disgust.)

Now, let me point to a few coincidences. Take a look at the following chart for comparison purposes. Clearly, the same points are made in the selection requirements for both counties. In the original format of job specifications, the qualities appeared to have been shuffled a bit. I have re-ordered them to demonstrate how precisely they match up.


Anne Arundel County: Pre K-12 District -- 73,992 Students, Minimum Salary -- $200,000

Dorchester County:Pre K-12 District -- 4,788 Students, Salary minimum -- $115,000

A visionary who is passionate about public education; holds student achievement as the top priority; and makes decisions based on the best interests of the children of Anne Arundel County.
A visionary who will include stakeholders in the development and implementation of a focused strategic plan, in which all children learn at high levels.

An open and inclusive communicator who values input from all stakeholders; is visible and active in the schools and community; and is effective building strong relationships with and among the board, staff, students, and community.
A consensus builder who works with and balances the needs of diverse groups; involves all segments of the community; has excellent communication skills and can foster trust in the system.

A skilled educator who understands curriculum development, instruction, and assessment; can accept and build on current successes; is experienced meeting the requirements of NCLB and current educational trends; and has been successful addressing the needs of diverse student populations and closing the achievement gap.
A proven instructional leader with a thorough understanding of curriculum development and delivery; who is able to analyze data and implement needed instructional changes that will ensure a rigorous instructional program for all children; has success addressing NCLB; and can create a positive climate throughout the school system.

A politically savvy advocate who can work effectively with state and local officials; understands state funding; is not afraid to make changes to benefit the system; and is able to build support for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
An experienced advocate who is passionate about public education, possesses excellent political skills, and builds positive working relationships with local government, the board, staff and the community.

An ethical leader who holds high standards of integrity, honesty, compassion, courage, and flexibility and expects those traits in staff and students.A decisive administrator who has system-wide experience with budget, finance, technology, and school construction; is successful working with and supporting central and school based staff; and has collective bargaining experience:
An excellent manager with strong administrative, budget and financial experience and growth and facilities management who respects all staff and can support and motivate employees; and is an effective negotiator with excellent collective bargaining skills.Must hold or qualify for Maryland superintendent license and have a minimum of 3-5 years experience in a senior administrative position.
Candidates MUST qualify for Maryland Superintendent License. It is the responsibility of applicants to provide proof of qualifications from the Maryland State Department of Education prior to interviews.


The preferred candidate will have knowledge of the Maryland education system, law, funding, and curriculum and assessment; and will become an active member of the Dorchester County community.





The only prerequisites that don’t seem to match up, really, and I guess this accounts for the 100k difference in salary, are that while in Anne Arundel county, the community preferred “A politically savvy advocate” and one who is “An ethical leader,” evidently, all they really needed in Dorchester county was an “experienced advocate,” one who has “collective bargaining experience,” and this was repeated twice for emphasis.

Now, I am truly struck by the sophistication of the community in Dorchester County, because in all of the years that I have attended meetings and forums and community discussions, I have NEVER heard ANYONE, let alone a parent speak like that.

For instance, I would be baffled to hear the following statement at a school-oriented meeting:

“As parents, we believe that, in our children’s best interest, the candidate will certainly NEED to have “collective bargaining experience…”

And, now for emphasis, we hear from parent number two.

“Yes, and by way of underscoring our commitment to this cherished ideal, I would repeat our desire for the next superintendent to ABSOLUTELY have collective bargaining experience.”

(NO way, I am NOT buying it…)

Let me say that while I sort of see the connection of politics to Anne Arundel county, it being the State capital, actually, I was hoping that the position of Superintendent would, at least in print, have been held true to a loftier ideal than that of a politically savvy advocate---but let’s give the selection committee the benefit of the doubt on this call. Maybe someone’s Mom or Dad works for the comptroller or something….

Unfortunately for Dorchester County, the community apparently disqualified the traits of “high standards of integrity, honesty, compassion, courage, and flexibility” and did not see the merit of these ideal for their next superintendent, nor did they want to encourage “those traits in staff and students.”
Well, I might question whether the Dorchester community would agree on these omissions---but you never know. They may have made a timely point about the lack of need for these qualities when you have a strong contingency for collective bargaining.

Also, in Dorchester County, perhaps what sets them apart or what makes the chosen candidate cheaper is: “The preferred candidate will have knowledge of the Maryland education system, law, funding, and curriculum and assessment; and will become an active member of the Dorchester County community.” So, if you do happen to know much about the Maryland school system or Maryland law, perhaps in Anne Arundel county you would be at once disqualified, or worse, asked to apply somewhere where that kind of knowledge places you in the lower salary range….

“Oops, this candidate knows too much, dock his salary…”

Finally, the candidate in Anne Arundel County need not be an “active community member.” Goodness, I certainly wouldn’t want my ideal candidate to be discouraged from residing in our county of inflated real estate and expensive, luxury-oriented, select interest, or politically based group participation; our teachers, with their bottom-end salary ranges, are already excluded from making the county their home.

Oh, and about the endorsement for NCLB, here was my set of ideals for the right candidate:

Q: What are the characteristics, qualities, and skills you would like to see in a new superintendent?

Thinks independently and creatively about public school education.

Does not buy into the NCLB act or it's insistence on participation in the standards and testing industry.

Endorses a curriculum that is sensitive to the needs of the individual child.

Solicits the professional input of teaching staff.

Endorses an awareness of and dedication to current knowledge about learning.
Believes that smaller classrooms, varied assessment tools, creative curriculum and competitive salaries for teachers belong on a priority agenda.

Dedicates resources, not only to minority and special needs students, but also to real and varied academic opportunities for the entire range of students.

Is willing to research and consider other avenues for students advancement besides AP, IB or other overused, academically disputed recipes.

Will hope to foster community and parental interest, input, and support for our schools, our teachers, and our students.

Has no financial claims or interest in contributing to the growing financial returns of academic test, textbook or tutoring industries.

With no particular political agenda, still believes that our public schools present an opportunity to prepare and educate our students for a better future.

Is an honest, intelligent person who thinks like an educator, a human who still values and develops relationships with teachers, students, and parents.


Q: What issues will a new superintendent need to know about in order to be successful in the County?

The block schedules do not work for many reasons.

Neither does standardization of curriculum, pacing guides, an onslaught of county tests, state tests, federal tests, generic "advanced" or accelerated plans to boost statistics, treatment of children without attention to their own individual strengths, lack of true accelerated learning opportunities, overuse of exams, worksheets, programs not open to the judgment or volition of teacher.

The students are alternately bored, stressed with impossible loads of homework and their opportunity to learn useful information at an appropriate measure has been extinguished.


The teachers felt so oppressed by the resigning superintendent that they organized to express their outrage with a vote of "NO CONFIDENCE" even after he decided to leave.

Of utmost importance in consideration of this position and out of a sincere desire to make our schools better in every way for our students, this candidate has to have the intelligence, the passion and the heart to work at a good professional relationship of mutual respect with our teachers. That is of primary and most critical importance.


So, maybe it’s me, but I am worried every single time I think about this selection process. Is it good policy to maintain the selection as a closed process? Is it fair or accurate that the newspapers refer to the selection process as anchored in the community voice? I’d have a hard time with that piece of “balanced reporting.”

And back to that mention of NCLB. I have never once, with the exception of me and my spouse, heard the act mentioned by a parent at a school-related meeting. As a point of great discouragement for me and to anyone who tries in earnest to encourage an advocacy on the issues of importance in our public schools, PARENTS, as Kappan intimates in its annual surveys, do NOT talk about NCLB.