Price tag for BPS super search set at $75G
The School Committee plans to spend $75,000 on an executive search committee to help find the next superintendent.
Out of a field of seven firms that responded to the school district’s request for proposals, One-Fourth LLC JG Consulting of Austin, Texas, was the first choice of the search committee charged with making a recommendation to the school committee.
“We’re looking for God, and God has a job,” said school committee member Lorena Lopera. “There is a lot of work. We’ve talked about the superintendent role as a real challenge.”
Last month, Cassellius and Mayor Michelle Wu said the decision was mutual but offered no further explanation. The school committee has agreed to pay Cassellius $314,000 severance.
The team that would be conducting the search would be led by Richard Carrenza, former chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, who has worked with committee member, Brandon Cardet-Hernandez, a former NYC public school employee.
One-Fourth last year helped find superintendent candidates for the San Dieguito Union High School District in North Coastal San Diego County, Calif.
Based on feedback from four “listening sessions” and 464 survey responses, the search committee voted 7-0 to recommend the new superintendent’s job description, with the caveat that the consulting firm would help the committee “polish” it.
Among the qualifications, the job description said the superintendent should be someone who:
•Wants to be the leader of the nation’s oldest public school district and the first to close the opportunity and achievement gaps.
•Has demonstrated an authentic commitment to cultivating an antiracist organization and reviewing policies and reviewing policies and practices through an anti-racist lens.
•Is familiar with Boston and its history of desegregation. Preferably is someone who is multilingual.
•Has 10 or more years of related supervisory experience. Has served as an educator in a pre-K-12 public school district.
The school committee plans to hire a new superintendent by June, when Cassellius is slated to step down after three years on the job.