As superintendent search stalls, Fresno Unified hires $100,000 coach for board members

The Fresno Unified board approved spending $100,000 for a coach to help members navigate the stalled search for a new superintendent to lead the third-largest district in the state.

The board unanimously approved a two-year contract with the Council of the Great City Schools for “professional services,” including coaching and leadership support, according to the contract.

The original price of the service was $120,000, but by voting unanimously to approve the contract, the board received a $20,000 discount, according to the terms.

Council of Great City Schools is a professional organization comprised of 78 urban school districts. It provides guides and resources to member districts in terms of policy advocacy, boosting academic performance, improving professional development, and strengthening leadership and governance. Fresno Unified is a member and has worked with it in the past to improve special education programs.

The Council also runs an online jobs board, allowing members to advertise vacant administrative positions, according to the organization’s membership benefits.

The contracted service at this time is only for coaching, and exclusive to the seven board members and interim superintendent Misty Her, said Trustee Valerie Davis, stressing that the consultant is not serving as a headhunter.

“The coaching will help us identify what we need in the superintendent,” said Trustee Valerie Davis. “We need to be coached on the process and steps of board membership and responsibilities, to have student-focused guardrails and make student-focused decisions.”

“I feel like if they’re helping us with strategic planning, one of the strategic things we need to do is bring on the permanent superintendent,” said Trustee Veva Islas. “So I had envisioned that they would support in some way that effort.”

Islas said discussions about hiring a consultant began after the board paused the internal superintendent search in early April.

The actual search hasn’t made substantial progress since then except that the board announced in mid-April that moving forward, the search could include applicants outside of district employees.

Regarding the stalled superintendent search, Trustee Keshia Thomas said the process became too much about politics: The situation became “No longer about the school district and is about what’s best for politics.”

Board members are conducting a two-day retreat this weekend to kick off the coaching.

Thomas said the retreat will be about team-building.

“All spaces need a retreat just to collaborate, to recalibrate, and in most cases, it’s team building,” said Thomas. “So this is just a space where we take our job to another level. These people are very seasoned in terms of working with boards.”

“Again, team building, understanding the roles of a board member; understanding what we need as a board and a school district where a superintendent is concerned,” she continued. “So just that space where we can really speak freely and team building around the needs in order for Fresno Unified to be the best it can be.”