Superintendent Search
As we look for the next superintendent to serve the students and families of the City School District of Albany, we have partnered with Capital Region BOCES to facilitate the search.
As a first step in this process, we collected input from employees, students, families and community members through BOCES' superindent search survey, which was open from Jan. 23 through Feb. 22. We also worked with Capital Region BOCES to hold a series of virtual and in-person focus groups to gain additional feedback during this time. The results of this feedback are summarized below.
Capital Region BOCES launched the search for the City School District of Albany’s next superintendent in January with a month-long community engagement process. This provided all students, families, district employees and community members with an opportunity to provide input about the district and the attributes they would value in our district leader.
BOCES conducted an online survey and scheduled 20 focus groups as part of that process. More than 400 people provided feedback. Here are the themes that emerged from that input, which the Board of Education is using to inform the candidate search and interview process this spring.
What are the strengths of the district?
- Diversity of students and commitment to equity
- A wide variety of programs and educational opportunities
- Commitment to students’ educational success
- Extracurriculars and athletic opportunities
- Faculty and staff are committed
What needs to be improved?
- Morale and culture among employees
- Accountability for students - credit recovery and grading, attendance
- Recruitment and retention
- Salaries of staff – especially support staff
- Transportation
- Community Schools model – discrepancies between access depending on neighborhood
- Communication
What characteristics and personal attributes should the next superintendent have?
- Truthteller who values transparency
- A visionary
- Student-focused, student-centered decision-maker
- Cultural competence
- Authentic
- Collaborator
- Open-minded
What will the new superintendent need to work on first?
- Facilities improvements
- Staff retention
- Budgeting and business operations
- Building trust and relationships with key stakeholders
- Culture and climate
- Negotiating a contract
FAQs
This section is intended to provide additional details on the search, and answers to frequently asked questions regarding the process.
Is the Board of Education conducting the superintendent search on its own?
The City School District of Albany Board of Education is working with the Capital Region BOCES central administration to conduct a confidential search.
What is a confidential superintendent search?
A confidential superintendent search means that all applicants for the position will apply directly to the BOCES consultants. BOCES and the board will work together to identify, from the entire applicant pool, who meets our criteria and who we would like to interview. The board will see ALL applications, but they will be submitted first to BOCES.
Why is a confidential search necessary?
This process is followed to attract sitting superintendents and other education professionals who may prefer that their candidacy for the Albany position not be made public. Without confidentiality, there is often a very limited pool of candidates for the position of superintendent. Conducting a confidential search increases the likelihood that the most qualified candidates will apply for the position.
Are there opportunities for public input?
Yes! With the BOCES consultants, the district released a community survey through several district communications channels on Jan. 23, including SchoolMessenger, Facebook Twitter and Instagram. On the survey, community members are asked to give input on the following questions:
- What are the strengths of the City School District of Albany?
- What needs to be improved?
- What characteristics and personal attributes should the new superintendent have?
- What will the new superintendent need to work on first?
- Do you have any additional thoughts or comments?
The survey was available online until Feb. 22. A series of 20 focus groups also were held to collect feedback. Each of the focus groups asked the same five questions that are contained in the online survey. All input given by the community will be taken into consideration by members of the board throughout their interviewing and vetting process.
What’s next?
Interested candidates must submit all application materials to the BOCES consultants by April 5. After that date, the search consultants and board begin the interview process. Selected applicants will complete at least two rounds of interviews with the board.
Once a candidate is chosen, they will be vetted through a process led by the BOCES team before a formal offer is made. The board expects that the new superintendent will be appointed in the summer.
Still have questions?
For additional questions regarding our superintendent search, please contact:
Director of Communications and Operations
