The Journal Editors Weigh In on the Search for a New Superintendent

In an editorial in this morning's Journal, the editors expressed their opinion on the size of the net that should be cast in the search for a new superintendent.

The debate over the size of the net, a local or national search for the next APS superintendent, misses the point if the net is being cast in the wrong direction.


There is no empirical proof of any positive correlation between being a successful educator and being a successful administrator.

In fact, it could be argued that APS is poorly administrated exactly because the net cast to find administrators has always been cast into a pool of educators.

What if what the APS really needs, is a business manager who can turn the APS into an efficient and effective organization that supports the efforts of educators?

The net can be cast over every ocean of educators in the world; and still catch the wrong fish.

We need to be talking about whether or not APS will continue to be guided from administrative offices that are as far from classrooms as they could possibly be.

We need to be talking about moving public resources and decision making power as close to the the educational interface as possible and put at the immediate disposal of educators.

The discussion of net size is a red herring.

Continued focus on that issue instead of discussing site based management, serves only the interests of those who would maintain their positions of power and influence in the leadership of the APS. They will want to fill the office of the superintendent with someone

... who won't rock their boat.


They will be successful if people don't start paying attention.