CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Tennessee School Boards Association is now assisting with the search for Cleveland City Schools’ next director.
The Cleveland Board of Education fired director Martin Ringstaff on Feb. 5 after learning he exchanged sexually explicit messages with a woman other than his wife. Assistant Director of Schools Cathy Goodman was named interim director.
On Thursday, the city school board voted 7-0 to finalize candidate criteria for the director’s position and establish a timetable to have a new director in place by July 1.
One change to the criteria from the board’s 2011 director search calls for five years of school administration experience instead of only three years.
“Experience is a big factor,” board member Peggy Pesterfield said.
Doctoral degrees are preferred but not required. Several board members said not all doctorates are equal and cited concerns over limiting the potential pool of applicants.
Board members said they want a candidate to live within and engage the Cleveland community.
They also agreed the director’s annual salary should be set between $125,000 and $140,000.
The timetable calls for TSBA to recommend up to five candidates on May 2, with interviews taking place soon after. The board said it wants a director’s agreement in place no later than mid-June.
Dr. Tammy Grissom, executive director of TSBA, told board members the search faces a number of challenges, including the quantity and quality of available candidates.
“It’s getting tougher,” said Grissom. She said the candidate pool is only 15 to 20 people, about half the number available in previous years.
Of those, she said, “We have the same people who apply over and over from various states that are not quality candidates, that are repeats in our searches.”
At least seven Tennessee school districts are looking to hire superintendents, she said, and TSBA is helping three besides Cleveland City Schools. In addition to TSBA searches, she said Hamilton, Knox and Davidson counties all are looking for system leaders.
Money is a big factor, especially when some school principals already make more money than some district superintendents in Tennessee, she said.
After the meeting, board Chairwoman Dawn Robinson described the process as “a whirlwind.”
“We didn’t expect in January that we would replace our director in February,” Robinson said. “We just have to deal with the cards we have been dealt and keep moving forward for Cleveland City Schools.”
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.