Board reviews superintendent search survey: 746 respondents, priorities include strategic planning and budget skills

During board-member discussion on April 13 the East Porter County School Corporation board reviewed results from its superintendent-search survey and discussed how the findings will shape candidate evaluation.

S2 summarized the survey results, saying the district received 746 total respondents and 1,171 total category responses when stakeholders completed multiple category surveys. "I found it was really great to see that we had 746 total responses," S2 said. The top strengths identified were academic achievement, teaching staff and a focus on students; the top challenges were declining enrollment and financial pressures, followed by limited course offerings and concerns about central office administration.

Respondents also prioritized attributes for a new superintendent: top professional skills named were strategic planning and budgetary skills; personal characteristics voters valued included problem-solving, trustworthiness and communication. S2 said the full survey summary and raw results would be posted on the district website and used during candidate questioning.

Why it matters: The survey outlines the community's expectations for district leadership at a time when trustees are preparing to select a new superintendent. Board members said they will provide the results to candidates and use them to guide interview questions.

Next steps: Staff will post the results and a survey summary book to the district website and provide the compiled findings to superintendent candidates as part of the selection process.