Randolph County board lays out fast-track superintendent search ahead of June 1 deadline

At a special work session, the Randolph County board discussed a plan to fill its county superintendent vacancy and steps to meet a statutory June 1 deadline to set the incoming superintendent’s term and base salary.

Dr. McCall, who led the session’s presentation, told the board to note two dates: June 1, 2026 — the deadline under state law for adopting the superintendent’s term length and base pay — and June 7, 2026, the effective date of Senate Bill 694, which Dr. McCall said removes the county residency requirement for newly appointed superintendents. "That law . . . says there is no residential requirement," he said, while cautioning boards should not rely solely on any interpretation to bridge the six-day gap between the two dates.

Why it matters: the June 1 deadline constrains how quickly the board must finalize contract basics, while SB694 changes the pool of eligible candidates by allowing appointment of individuals who do not reside in the county or a bordering county once the law takes effect.

Search options and preferred approach

Dr. McCall outlined four common approaches: direct appointment of an internal or known candidate, a traditional open search with advertised applications, a customized search…