Public School Superintendent

The St. Louis Public School District is beginning a national search for a new superintendent. Given the district’s revolving door of superintendents, this may sound like business as usual. Actually, it isn’t.

The state statute that allowed the district’s governance by a special administrative board also has the effect of changing the duties of its superintendent. That job now has more academic responsibility, less administrative duties, than it did in the past. The legislative intent was to free up the superintendent from hours of studying maintenance budgets and re-focus attention solely on academic achievement.

Despite some heavy-duty urging, Dr. Diana Bourisaw, the current superintendent, declined to be considered for the new position. A national search is good idea. I hope that the new superintendent shares Dr. Bourisaw’s passion for our children.