Public evaluation for superintendent

The hiring of a public school superintendent is the most important decision a local school board makes. That decision determines the tone of how a district operates. The evaluation of the superintendent is important, too. Hired by the Mat-Su Borough School District in May, I immediately began the work of building a strong relationship with the school board. I brought with me an idea to the school board at the retreat held in June — a fully public process for my evaluation.

In making the decision to come to the Mat-Su Borough School District, I knew that the district faced challenges. The board outlined the overall challenges to include:

• Student achievement and performance

• Identifying and securing alternative forms of revenue to supplement the district’s current budget

• Determining the best use of current resources

• Creating and sustaining partnerships with community agencies, businesses, and other entities

• Focusing on educating all students residing within the Mat-Su Borough, including those not currently enrolled in our schools

The board adopted a strategic plan in August that set robust expectations for meeting the challenges here in Mat-Su.

In the Mat-Su School District, we want to keep the main thing the main thing — that is, student achievement and performance. The board’s strategic plan focuses on student achievement and performance. Moreover, student achievement and performance drives all decisions I make and that the board makes.

The evaluation process of the board for my evaluation consists of several rubric measurements. The board will tally my performance in the broad areas of student achievement and performance, leadership and management, efficient operation of the district and customer service. Once the tally is made of the metrics, the school board and the district community will have a clear picture of where the district stands.

I began the process of requesting that my evaluation be fully open and transparent for the public when I was in the Detroit Public School System. I want to bring solid accountability to the Mat-Su School District. I want the community to have a full understanding of the district’s policies and outcomes. Not all superintendents hold these views. Some superintendents support transparency in conducting the public’s business, but do not hold to full accountability practices.

When asked, “On what criteria are superintendents evaluated?” the written criteria seem to be similar across districts of all sizes. The primary area in which the evaluations differ is in the method used to conduct the evaluations. The 2006 AASA’s study found “that the typical outcome for most superintendents (72.4 percent) was a document written by the board and shared with the superintendents in an executive session.” About a quarter of evaluations did not produce a summary written document.

My evaluation by the Mat-Su Borough School Board will be different. Each board member will use a metrics scorecard for rating my performance. The results of the evaluation will be presented to the public in the June 15, 2011 board meeting and published. The objectives and performance are available on the district website (www.matsuk12.us).

In Mat-Su, it is important that the school board and I work hand-in-hand toward making this district a great school district. Our children deserve the best education that we can give them. Our future economic success demands our students being career- and college-ready when they graduate from high school.

Kenneth Stephen Burnley, Ph.D., is Mat-Su Borough School District superintendent.