KC Public Schools must listen to community in superintendent search. Here’s how to help

The Kansas City Public School District is about to begin its search for a new superintendent. And as usual, the first step has been to ask parents, teachers, staff and the community what qualities they want in their next leader.

The first of these town hall sessions was held Monday. One message came through clearly: Many of those in attendance support Interim Superintendent Jennifer Collier holding the job permanently.

If that same sentiment rings true during the next town hall — which will be held Thursday at 5 p.m. via Zoom — district officials and its search firm, JG Consulting, should pay close attention to what the people most affected have to say. Because isn’t that what these meetings are supposed to be for? If not, they’re nothing but a performative round of going through the motions.

We are not endorsing anyone for the job. If we were to, it would not happen until we first saw what the candidate lineup looks like. But we will say that sometimes that perfect person you’re looking for is the one already sitting behind the desk.

Collier was former Superintendent Mark Bedell’s deputy, and she was his pick for the position after his departure this summer. “The district is in good hands,” he said during his farewell address. This city has a lot of respect for Bedell, who was the district’s longest-serving superintendent in five decades. In his six years at the helm, Bedell and his team led the school district back to state accreditation, a status that had eluded KCPS for more than a decade.

Collier has worked in Kansas City Public Schools for 22 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and chief human resource officer before becoming Bedell’s deputy superintendent. She played a key role in constructing the plan for the district’s future into 2030.

In other words, she knows how the district grew to regain full accreditation and how its leaders plan to keep that momentum going forward. The next superintendent should match the vision of the school board, which approved that future plan.

A big part of the Blueprint 2030 strategic plan involves the possible closing of several schools. It’s a proposal that has drawn both support and much criticism from the community. One big factor is how to close schools that have seen enrollment drop and still ensure equity in programs for students. It’s never a narrative everyone completely agrees on. The district has been having those conversations with the community this year.

We think the district needs a new superintendent in place before making the final call on whether schools are shuttered, and if so, which ones.

Kansas City Public Schools has come a long way since Bedell walked into the superintendent’s office in 2016. He made a lot of promises when the district picked him as its leader: to stay longer than others had, to knock down the wall between student and superintendent and to connect with students on a personal level. But his greatest and maybe most challenging pledge was to regain state accreditation. He did that. And now that he has moved on, it’s critical the next leader continue the work that got KCPS to this point and move it forward.

The most important responsibility of any board of education is the selection of a superintendent. It’s important too that since the community is being asked for input, that parents and others show up and speak up, because the education of Kansas City’s children is at stake.

Here’s how to take part in Thursday’s virtual town hall session.

This story was originally published December 15, 2022 at 7:00 AM.