MEMPHIS, Tenn. — With four months left in the search for a new superintendent, the Memphis Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Board hired a search firm to help conduct and complete the search to find a new leader for one of the largest school districts in the state.
The firm hired by MSCS is Illinois-based with 30 years of experience and according to an agreement between the two parties - it will cost taxpayers at least $38,000.
MSCS parents hope this firm's selection will lead to hiring a superintendent to bring stability to the district.
In a significant step - the MSCS board selected search firm Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to lead its now-national search for a new district superintendent.
Damon Morris, whose grandchildren are in the district, anxiously awaits the selection steps ahead.
"That’s one of the things that this whole city and county seems to be unified on," Morris said. "That we cannot get this wrong this time. The last time they wasn’t too transparent about that process and that’s how we ended up with, you know, all of this scandal and everything that going on.”
After two consecutive superintendents were chosen internally the MSCS board this time is widening its net for prospective candidates.
The public "letter of agreement" between the firm and MSCS outlines four phases that the firm will partner with the school district to conduct. The first is the "recruit phase" which will contact and interview potential recruits. Then there is the "select phase" where candidates will go through another round of interviewing, narrowing the pool, and a "transition phase" for the newly appointed superintendent.
Morris wants MSCS's next leader to be an advocate for both parents and students.
"They would have to know how to handle that population," Morris said. "And what I mean is like a population of children that are in poverty, an uptick of mental health in the community that seems to be affecting a lot of children.” “And the superintendent, in my opinion, regardless of where they come from, they need to be able and equipped to deal with those issues.”
Wednesday MSCS chair Althea Greene said in part, “...The selected firm received the highest scores during our review based on their K-12 search experience, commitment to diversity and inclusion, cost and timeline...”