Two search firms outline full-service and customizable superintendent search options

Representatives from two search consultants described full-service and customizable approaches to conducting a superintendent search for Queen Anne’s County Public Schools at the board’s Feb. 5 meeting.

Milton Nagel, executive director of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), told the Board of Education that a search should be thorough, legally defensible and confidential, and that a signed superintendent agreement is required by July 1 under state procedures. He said a consultant’s role includes planning a timeline, developing a stakeholder engagement process, crafting recruitment materials, screening applicants and ensuring candidates meet Maryland certification requirements through MSDE and COMAR rules. “Confidentiality is key,” Nagel said, and he emphasized the need for a designated board spokesperson to answer public inquiries during the process.

MABE said it can tailor services and will charge a fixed fee for an agreed scope; Nagel did not present a firm proposal or fixed total at the meeting but said the firm provides a full timeline and performs in-depth candidate vetting and reference checks.

A second firm, Hazard, Young, Attea (HYA), represented by Monica Brown and Daryl Williams, described a national recruitment network and a four-phase process — engagement, recruitment, selection and transition — that the firm said it customizes to the board’s preferences. Brown said HYA conducts individual interviews with board members and stakeholder focus groups, produces a leadership profile that drives recruitment, and offers background-screening services for finalists through a subcontracted firm. HYA representatives said they routinely recruit passive candidates and that in more than 60% of searches the successful candidate is someone the firm proactively recruited.

During Q&A, board members asked whether firms actively recruit candidates or only post vacancies. MABE said search consultants will both post vacancies and do outreach but do not maintain a single database of active job-seekers. Nagel said MABE’s fee is fixed regardless of the number of applicants but did not give a dollar figure at the meeting. HYA described advertising-package options and a full-service package that it estimated at roughly $32,500 when including ads, stakeholder survey work and recommended add-ons; HYA also described optional background-check services and a price-match guarantee for comparable services.

Both presenters stressed stakeholder input, confidentiality for employed candidates, and careful verification of certification eligibility through MSDE. Board members asked for cost proposals and specifics about services; both firms said they would submit formal proposals and fee schedules for the board to review.

The presentations preceded a wider discussion later in the meeting on next steps and budget considerations for the district’s work plan.