Barb Dorn, the director of leadership development and executive searches for the Minnesota School Boards Association, went over survey results, highlighting areas of expertise sought, specialized skills, personal characteristics and whether previous experience as a superintendent should be a requirement. Here’s a look at each below:
Areas of Expertise: Those who responded to the survey were also asked to identify the top six desirable areas (out of 17) of expertise they believe the new superintendent must possess. The most frequently noted areas of expertise are listed below in order of preference.
•Collaborative leadership
•Budget and finance
•Curriculum development/evaluation
•School reform (i.e., strategic planning, etc.)
•Student testing results and achievement
•Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Dorn said collaborative leadership rose to the top as it was in the top three for all six sub-groups (parents/guardians, staff members, community members, others, students and business owners/agricultural). She said budget and finance were also top of mind as well as curriculum development and evaluation.
School reform came in fourth.
“Everyone has a different idea what that might mean, generally speaking, in strategic planning and sort of, directing the district and where are you going,” she said.
Student testing results in achievement was fifth. Diversity, equity, inclusion was six.
“The interesting thing about that is, in some districts, we seem to have people who are of a mind that student testing and student achievement, and then diversity, equity and inclusion, ... are either/or, that for some reason they cannot coexist, “ Dorn said. “And I think the fact that they’re in the top six for your overall category is really exciting, because it shows to me that in this district, it’s a both and is not either student achievement and diversity, equity, inclusion.”
Previous Experience: Respondents were asked if previous superintendent experience is important. Based on the results, 47.71% of the respondents selected ‘yes,’ while 52.29% of the respondents selected ‘no.’
The School Board in its job posting stated previous superintendent experience preferred, but not required.
Generally speaking about 40% of parents and guardians said ‘yes,’ they should have been a superintendent. For staff it just flipped, where about 60% said ‘yes,’ they should and 40% said ‘no.’
“That’s not surprising either, because the staff is in the building every day and understands what it takes to run a district of your size and complexity, They gave the edge to, ‘yes,’ they should have previous experience,” Dorn said, adding 100% of people identifying as business owners said ‘yes’ they should.
Specialized Skills: The top six specialized skills the new superintendent must possess were identified in the survey results as shown below.
•Acts with honesty and in an ethical manner in dealings with the School Board, staff, and community.
•Is visible and accessible to the School Board, staff, students, parents, and community.
•Develops trust and works collaboratively with diverse groups of stakeholders.
•A “people person” with proven abilities in human relations and communications.
•Develops and directs an effective leadership team.
•Effectively mediates and accommodates different perspectives; values teamwork.
Dorn provided some color coding where there was overlap between the board and stakeholders.
“I hope this gives you a sense that you are very much in tune with what the people said in the survey,” Dorn said. “We usually don’t see so many colors matching.”
Personal Characteristics: Survey takers were also asked to identify the top six personal characteristics (out of 17) they believe the new superintendent must possess. The most frequently noted personal characteristics are listed below in order of preference.
•Honest and ethical
•Effective communicator
•Transparent
•Problem solver
•Consistent
•Personable
Dorn noted these responses also demonstrated significant alignment between the School Board and the public.
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