The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) has announced the launch of a national search for next State Superintendent of Education. The Board published the official applicant information packet on its website and set a submission deadline of February 28, 2020 for individuals who wish to be considered for the position.
"This is an incredible opportunity for a leader in education to take the helm of the Louisiana Department of Education, build on our current momentum, and become a champion for all our children and families," said Kira Orange Jones, BESE Superintendent Selection Work Group chair and District 2 member.
The next State Superintendent will inherit a system that has made significant strides in recent years including raising academic expectations, increasing access to quality early childhood education, expanding career education opportunities, and strengthening educator development, but will also face considerable challenges. As such, the Board hopes that the opportunity will attract a bold, new leader. Describing the task ahead, Orange Jones said, "The work group is committed to casting a wide recruiting net and facilitating an open and efficient selection process in order to attract the most competitive and diverse pool of applicants we can."
The work group will oversee the administrative process of reviewing submissions, screening candidates and conducting interviews. Promise54 will assist the work group in managing the process. By early spring the work group anticipates facilitating possible interviews and proposing one to three applicants to the Board for the appointment of the next State Superintendent. Serving with Orange Jones on the Superintendent Selection Work Group are District 1 BESE member Jim Garvey, District 6 member Ronnie Morris, and At-Large member Doris Voitier.
Individuals wishing to apply for the position are invited to visit the BESE website at https://bese.louisiana.gov, where an applicant information packet is posted and available for download. The packet includes a job description that outlines qualifications, preferred experience, educational requirements, key responsibilities, as well as the process for submission of materials.
Applicants can submit their information until 5:00 p.m. Friday, February 28, 2020, with the work group beginning their Board-delegated responsibility of reviewing candidate information in March. The work group may conduct interviews and facilitate the interview process with individual BESE members in accordance with the state’s Open Meetings Law. Finalists could be named as early as March or April 2020. The resignation of current Superintendent John White is effective March 11, 2020.
The Board appoints the position of State Superintendent by a two-thirds vote of its total membership, requests confirmation by the Senate, and requests approval of the salary by the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. Compensation will be commensurate with the selected candidate’s experience. BESE is an equal opportunity employer.
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For more information, contact:
Kevin Calbert
225-342-5847
kevin.calbert@la.gov
BESE is the administrative policymaking body for elementary and secondary schools in Louisiana. The Board sets key education initiatives and works to outline an education agenda to achieve continuous improvement of public education as measured by student and school achievement.