Board of Education President Patricia O’Neill said the finalists for the school system’s superintendent job will remain confidential, despite some calls to allow for public forums involving each of the candidates.
O’Neill wrote in a blog post Wednesday that she will convene a panel of representatives from 17 community groups including employee unions, PTAs, educational groups and county agencies to review the finalists.
Participants will be asked not to share the identity of any of the candidates interviewed.
The Board will not reveal the finalists for a broader public review because it might narrow the list of those interested in going through the process.
“Some people simply will not apply if their current positions will be jeopardized, which could happen if it becomes public they are a candidate for another job,” O’Neill wrote. “We have seen this happen in other school districts and government organizations, and we believe that confidentiality is important as we conduct this search.”
The Parents’ Coalition, a frequent critic of the school system, called for public forums with the finalists similar to what the school system in Hartford, Conn., did during its selection process last year.
“Yes, this selection involves a personnel decision, but ‘personnel’ should not be used to defend unnecessary secrecy,” said Parents’ Coalition member Sheldon Fishman at a Board meeting shortly after former Superintendent Joshua Starr resigned. “A selection process that is both transparent and still protects privacy will give taxpayers more confidence in their elected officials. More important, transparency will empower the new superintendent to be bold.”
O’Neill said the panel of community organizations is an attempt “to strike a balance between involving the community and making sure that we can have the best pool of candidates possible.”
Last week, MCPS and the search firm it hired to help find the next superintendent released a set of target characteristics after collecting almost 1,000 pieces of public input in community forums, focus groups and through other means.
The 17 groups that will have representatives helping the Board review finalists follow:
- Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils;
- The Montgomery County Education Association;
- The Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals;
- The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500;
- The Montgomery County Council of PTAs;
- The Special Education Advisory Committee;
- The Gifted and Talented Association of Montgomery County;
- Identity Inc.;
- NAACP – Montgomery County, Maryland Branch;
- The League of Educators for Asian American Progress;
- The Montgomery County Business Roundtable for Education;
- Montgomery College;
- The Universities at Shady Grove;
- The Latino Student Achievement Action Group;
- The African American Student Achievement Action Group;
- The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services; and
- The Montgomery County Recreation Department.
