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School board reviews director of schools job description, weighs outside search help from TSBA
Summary
Cumberland County Board of Education reviewed job description and search process for the director of schools, debated whether to hire the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) to conduct the search, and asked staff to prepare interview rules and an agenda item to request a TSBA consultation.
Cumberland County Board of Education members spent the work session reviewing the director of schools job description and the policies that will guide the search for the district's next superintendent, and discussed whether to enlist the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) to assist with recruitment.
Board members and staff said the materials under consideration include the district's job description, policy language (items cited in the packet as 5.8x series), and a draft contract framework. The group discussed candidate qualifications (the draft lists a master’s degree with a preference for a doctorate), geographic scope for recruitment (the board previously narrowed a search to a 50-mile radius in one case), interview logistics, and contract terms such as salary range, contract length and transportation provisions.
The board debated two broad approaches: an internal search managed by staff and the board, or paying TSBA to provide a full search service. TSBA’s superintendent search packages were described on the record as tiered service options with fees the board repeatedly cited as roughly $3,000, $7,500 and $15,000 for increasing levels of support; TSBA reportedly offers an initial on-site consultation at no charge and a two‑year guarantee in some packages. Board members said a paid TSBA search would bring outside expertise and a larger candidate pool, while others emphasized that staff can advertise widely and handle much of the initial screening without the fee.
Board members asked staff to prepare a formal interview and selection process for review. That prep work includes drafting standard questions, a scoring rubric, a process for who will ask which questions, and a proposed interview schedule and candidate cap (examples discussed included shortlists of 5, 10 or 20 candidates). Staff said those materials will be reviewed by human resources and the district attorney before interviews begin.
On the question of transportation and contract terms, the board discussed whether to provide a district vehicle or a mileage stipend for the director, and whether contract length should be the common three-year term the board has used in prior hires. Members also discussed whether the job description and district policies should be revised to more closely mirror one another, particularly around strategic planning and financial reporting responsibilities.
Next steps recorded in the session: staff will draft interview questions, scoring and selection criteria and a proposed interview calendar; the executive committee will prepare a short summary of recommendations for the full board; and the chair will add an agenda item on the next regular meeting for the board to vote on whether to request a TSBA consultation/initial visit. No vote on hiring TSBA or a final selection process was recorded in the session.
The discussion referenced existing policies in the 5.8x series and examples from prior searches; board members requested those policies and the job description be distributed and posted for review ahead of the next meeting.
