The State of the Superintendency

Serving as a superintendent has always involved a unique skill set, which combines content knowledge, leadership skill, emotional and political intelligence. Today, these skills require enhanced focus along with tremendous wisdom, discernment, and thoughtful decision-making.

We are all aware of the assault superintendents are facing presently as a result of culture wars, board members pursuing politically divisive positions, and state legislatures which are seeking to unravel public education as we have known it.

Today, I would like to provide a few thoughts on the current state of the superintendency and offer a couple of solutions which I believe might be helpful for those actively serving in the position and also those considering entering the profession.

First, for those currently in the position, we are frequently seeing negative forces mobilize to push an agenda at board meetings and through social media. Superintendents are often left in a reactive position relegated to spending countless hours attempting to dispel rumors, misinformation, and at times outright lies. It is clear these tactics are escalating and being used on a more consistent basis.

As the political environment is changing, school district efforts must change too if balance is to be achieved. I have mentioned a tactic before, but will describe it again here, as I think it is gaining greater importance. The concept is to develop a “Social Media Team”, led by someone in the district (your communication specialist if you have one), which includes a group of parents and community members who are active on social media. The goal of the team is to quickly identify misinformation or lies about the district or its personnel and counter that information with the truth. The team is active on social media applications and once an issue arises the group quickly confers, develops a truthful statement, and posts their statement online. The idea here is to counter, as quickly as possible, negative information which is being spread about the school district.

Another similar, but slightly different approach, is to work with your parent group(s) to develop a network of individuals in the community who can quickly mobilize to take positive action when needed. As an example, when a negative issue arises or an employee will be the subject of unjustified attack at an upcoming board meeting the group quickly communicates the situation and assembles to take action. Again, the idea, as with the Social Media Team, is to establish structures which can quickly summon people to address a concern.

Switching gears to those entering the superintendency or for superintendents changing jobs, it is important to reflect on the current state of the role. As one looks at a new or different superintendent position the concept of “fit” is of elevated importance. It is vital to study, as thoroughly as possible, the position before applying and to understand the culture of the board and the district. If the district and board tend to be very conservative, or very progressive, one must assess how they align with this form of thought. In years past, it was easier to overcome these differences because superintendents operated in a more civil environment, but today you will almost immediately be challenged regarding your beliefs. If you don’t feel you can philosophically align to the culture don’t apply.

Boards that operate on either end of the ideological continuum will most likely be left to hire candidates who are either desperate or naive as balanced decision making and compromise will be impossible. As superintendent you work with a variety of constituents and they most likely represent a cross section of political ideologies. If you are not provided with the latitude to operate in this manner it will be tough to achieve success.

Next, whether new to the superintendency or seasoned in the position, understanding how to initiate change has taken on elevated importance. Again, civility is waning and the drive to get one’s way is at an all-time high. As a result if change comes too fast, does not generate strong support, or is determined to lack philosophical alignment, factions will look to remove the superintendent. Therefore tremendous wisdom and discernment must be exercised when initiating any form of change in today’s environment.

The superintendency is full of possibilities if one fits the district context, is thoughful in making change, and sets up structures to address negative information. Although the role takes increasing levels of political and emotional intelligence and reflective leadership it is still one of the most rewarding positions any of us will ever assume. I hope your time in the position will be blessed and that you will steer clear of the many potholes which exist.

If you have additional thoughts or ideas related to the current state of the superintendency that you are willing to share please place them in the comments section below. Please remember that we all gain when we interact and share with each other.