The Tacoma School Board will hold several meetings Wednesday to seek community input on the criteria to apply in its search for a new superintendent.
The meeting deserves attention. Vital policy questions about public schools are at stake. Those who care about the city’s schools should show up.
Tacoma’s public schools are changing as a result of increased community involvement. Dramatic shifts over the last eight months have occurred because a few groups, including concerned citizens, community leaders, teachers and principals, have committed to show up at school board meetings, pay attention and advocate for students.
The board has moved in the direction of more openness and has held public study sessions. The district Web site has more information about what the board is doing and why. Overall, the board is less passive than before.
I am part of an informal, unnamed group of citizens from widely varying backgrounds that has been discussing the qualifications needed in a new superintendent. We believe the district needs:
• A leader with experience in a large urban school district, with a large proportion of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, who has success at turning a district around – for instance, reducing dropout rates and closing the achievement gap.
We need a leader with a history of directing energy to measurable results, getting teachers and school leaders aligned to achieve them, and achieving them in some measurable time frame.
• A leader who does not express fatalistic expectations, who can convince the community that we can and must graduate every student ready to go to college without remediation, graduate ready for skilled work that can support a household, graduate ready for meaningful civic engagement.
• A leader who, if lacking large urban school district experience, should have government leadership experience in a large urban area, a demonstrated ability to bring together diverse elements of his or her constituency and a history of articulating measurable outcomes or results, getting the work force aligned to achieve them and achieving them in some measurable time frame.
• A leader who can commit to the district for the long term.
We offer two Web sites where citizens can find more information on these issues, both generally and specifically to Tacoma (go to the editorial page blog at blogs.thenewstribune.com/oped for the links).
The school board members are our elected representatives. The willingness of a few people to show up at board meetings has shifted the terms of conversation.
When concerned citizens participate, students stand to gain. It is time for us to show up.
Sid Olufs is a professor of political science at Pacific Lutheran University.
Getting involved
The Tacoma School Board will hold a series of meetings Wednesday to obtain comments on the qualities sought in a new superintendent.
Parents: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Professional Development Center, 6501 N. 23rd St.
Community groups: 1 to 2 p.m., fourth-floor board room, Central Administration Building, 601 S. Eighth St.
Business leaders: 2:15 to 3:15 p.m., boardroom.
General public: 6 to 9 p.m., boardroom.
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