Student diversity, equity among resident priorities for next leader of Salt Lake schools

Student diversity, equity among resident priorities for next leader of Salt Lake schools

(Salt Lake School District)


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SALT LAKE CITY — The Board of Education for the Salt Lake City School District has narrowed its search for a new superintendent from 33 applicants to three final candidates.

All three come from urban education administration positions outside Utah. Candidates underwent final job interviews with the board and forums with the public Monday and Tuesday.

The board is expected to select a new superintendent by May 1.

Board President Heather Bennett said board members have sought to find someone with experience in working with a diverse student population and who can collaborate to uphold the district's current mission.

"We're looking for a dynamic leader to take us into the future, and we are very much aware of our place in the state and the uniqueness of our student makeup," Bennett said. "So we've been looking for people who have some experience in urban education with students from a lot of different backgrounds."

The finalists include:

• Rhonda Corr, who has worked as an area superintendent for Indianapolis Public Schools and Chicago Public Schools.

• Lexi Cunningham, who is currently the superintendent for the Tolleson Union High School District in Tolleson, Arizona.

• Krish Mohip, an administrator for Chicago Public Schools.

All three have been teachers before taking on administrative roles, and each has more than a decade of experience in education.

The school board began searching for a new superintendent after McKell Withers announced his retirement in August as the district's superintendent, a post he's held since 2003. He will keep the position until June 30.

'Our unique district'

Bennett said roughly two-thirds of the 33 applicants to replace Withers were from outside Utah. The board has leaned toward their outside experience in the selection process partly in the hope it will present new solutions for a diverse set of needs in Utah's capital city, she said.

Last fall, the Salt Lake City School District enrolled roughly 24,000 students, 58 percent of whom are of an ethnic minority with about the same percentage coming from low-income families.

"Sometimes you reach a point where it's just really good to get some cross-fertilization of ideas," Bennett said. "I think it will help us to have somebody with different kinds of experience in our unique district."

Among a long list of issues raised by board members and the public, understanding the needs of teachers and students was echoed on several levels. Each candidate said if they are chosen, they plan to visit schools regularly to meet with principals and teachers.

"In the first 90 days, what the best superintendents do is they listen, and they listen, and they listen some more. We have to listen to everybody in the organization," Corr said. "We have to make sure that all of our policies and all of our decisions are based on what's best for our children."

Student testing, proficiency and academic standards were also a focus for board members and the candidates.

Last year, 40 percent of students in the district scored proficiently in English and Math on SAGE, Utah's annual standardized test. Those scores were about 4 percent behind the state average, but the district was among others that saw significant gains in all subjects from the previous year.

Cunningham said she hopes to help teachers improve their instruction of Utah's academic standards. Much of that will come from removing some managerial tasks for principals and other instructional coaches so they can spend more time helping teachers, she said.

"I think if we commit to teaching the standards and teaching the standards to all students, providing support where needed, then we are going to see our test scores go up," Cunningham said.

Related

While each candidate has a background in urban education leadership, many components of instruction, student support, teacher recruitment and financial resources differ from places such as Chicago, Indianapolis and Tolleson, Arizona.

That brings some inherent challenges in transitioning to new leadership, said Mohip, who has worked for Chicago Public Schools in various roles since 2000. But some differences pose more opportunities than challenges, he said.

"The schools here are in such better shape. The kids here are really just set up to learn. The facilities here are simply amazing," Mohip said. "In my mind, we just fast-forwarded three years. … We are ready, this district is ready to make vast improvements instructionally in all schools."

Community input

During the search process, district leaders conducted a survey asking parents, students, educators and other residents what leadership traits and experience were important to them in the next superintendent. That survey was administered in 10 languages, and 481 people responded.

Survey respondents identified several issues necessary to address in the first 18 months of the next superintendent's tenure. Such issues include achievement gaps in connection with student equity, improvement in achievement overall, structure of the district central office and working with a divided school board.

Respondents also identified a range of leadership priorities, such as keeping a focus on students, instructional expertise, commitment to cultural diversity and equity, communication, accountability, and partnership with state legislators.

Jane Bergstedt is an 18-year kindergarten teacher, currently at Dilworth Elementary, who attended a community forum with superintendent candidates. She said she hopes the next district leader will understand and listen to the needs of individual teachers.

"I would love someone who is a great leader, because I know they actually have to lead the district office, but also someone who knows what teachers are actually going through in the classroom every day and how we're trying to help our kids," Bergstedt said.

That requires effective communication from the district office so expectations for teachers are understood, which, in turn, could improve instruction, teacher morale and student performance, she said.

"I think the decisions (the superintendent) makes with the departments in our district, that trickles down to us," she said. "You definitely feel that at the kindergarten level."

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