Board approves rubric approach to score superintendent‑search firms, prioritizing large‑district experience

The Winston‑Salem Forsyth County Schools Board of Education on July 29 discussed how to evaluate firms that responded to a July 11 RFP to run the district’s superintendent search and approved a point‑based rubric to score proposals, prioritizing experience with large‑district or North Carolina searches, clarity in proposals and cost.

Why it matters: the board will use an external firm to conduct the superintendent search and the selection rubric determines how proposals will be compared, which affects which firms advance to contract negotiations and who ultimately helps craft the vacancy announcement and candidate screening process.

Chief Legal Counsel Dion Jenkins reviewed the timeline and materials and said tonight’s discussion was to set scoring criteria; he emphasized that the board will work with the chosen firm to develop the superintendent vacancy announcement and final candidate criteria. Jenkins told the board, "Those responses were submitted July 11, and ultimately tonight, you are discussing what scoring criteria you would like to use to evaluate those." He presented options including a numerical 100‑point scale and a 1–4 rating scale and described categories such as experience with similar sized districts, experience in North Carolina, adequacy of search resources, clarity of proposal materials, team qualifications and cost.

Board members debated the two formats. Board Member Brown Gaither said she preferred a 100‑point scale because it provides more granularity for tying proposals; Board Member Bohannon and others favored a point system that defines what earns top scores—for example, demonstrating national searches for large districts versus limited or small‑district experience. Several members said cost should be a factor. Board Member Crowley noted that weighting can differentiate priorities and Board Member Miller asked whether the search will be national; Jenkins said firms typically conduct national searches even when they have North Carolina experience.

After discussion the board directed staff to prepare a 100‑point rubric that weights the identified priorities (experience with large district superintendent searches, clarity/understanding of district needs, qualifications of the team, and cost) and to circulate the rubric to board members for use in evaluating proposals before the August meeting. The board voted unanimously to approve the rubric scoring criteria.

Next steps: the board expects to use the rubric to score the proposals before selecting a firm at its August meeting; once hired, the firm will assist with the public vacancy announcement and candidate screening and timing will be set in contract negotiations.