Board members discuss convening community conversation about appointed vs. elected superintendent

During the May 13 meeting, board members resumed a recurring discussion about whether the Leon County superintendent should be appointed or elected and whether the board should convene a public conversation on the topic.

Board member James Smith (as identified in the transcript) said he intended to raise the issue again at a future meeting and proposed working with the Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) to convene focus groups or informational sessions to present pros and cons. "I just think that as stewards of public education, we should be willing to convene the conversation," Smith said.

Other board members expressed mixed reactions. One member said constituents in their district had told them they did not want to pursue the change now, noting the district is preparing a half-cent sales-tax renewal in the same year. Several members recommended first gauging public interest with a neutral question or survey asking whether residents would attend an informational session, rather than using district resources for promotional activity. Legal staff and counsel were asked to confirm whether the district can use its communication channels for neutral information-gathering on this political topic.

Board members asked staff to contact FSBA about whether the association can provide facilitation, whether there would be a cost, and whether FSBA or another outside group has examples of best practices and public surveys previously used by other districts. The board also asked staff to check with the elections office and legal counsel about any statutory or election-code implications. The board directed staff to return to a future workshop with findings.

No formal policy change was proposed or adopted; the item was put forward as a potential community conversation and a staff-research task.