Manatee School Board approves FSBA superintendent search timeline, qualifications and ad plan

The Manatee County School Board voted, 5-0, to approve materials from the Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) governing the search for the district's next superintendent, including a timeline, candidate qualifications, a list of desired qualities and the search advertisement and venues.

The action sets a schedule that calls for the board to identify semifinalists on July 29, select finalists at a special meeting on Aug. 12, hold public interviews Aug. 18 and individual interviews Aug. 19, and target a board selection in late August (Aug. 26 was discussed). The advertisement and application portal opened on the district website and FSBA's site; FSBA said applicants must submit complete materials up front and that all applications will be posted publicly once materials are processed.

The approved qualifications include a preferred experience range in districts of approximately 20,000 students and a salary range of $220,000 to $260,000. Board members debated whether school-based experience or administrative experience should be required. The board decided to keep school/district experience as a preferred — not required — qualification…