The DeKalb County school board is deciding what the next steps will be in the search for a new superintendent after the district's top candidate withdrew from consideration over the weekend.
The board was negotiating with Lillie Cox, superintendent of Hickory (N.C.) Public Schools, until Saturday, when details about her potential contract were leaked to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Gloria Davis, a superintendent from Decatur, Ill., withdrew about two weeks ago, and now only Arthur Culver of Champaign, Ill., is still in the running.
Channel 2 Action News reported that Culver dropped out of the race Monday evening.
The board met in private to discuss its next steps Monday and is scheduled to meet again Tuesday. Chairman Tom Bowen said members are trying to decide whether to pursue negotiations with Culver, look at other applicants or ask the search firm to bring forward more candidates. The goal is still to have a new superintendent in place by July 1.
"It is a two-way fit. When you get into discussions on a one-on-one basis with a candidate, you’re looking at them and finding out how they like to operate," Bowen said. “We’d rather take the time to find a match, than close the deal and find out later there is not a match. It’s better to spend the time up front and look for the right fit.”
Another possibility is hiring interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson.
Tyson was named interim superintendent in February 2010 after then-Superintendent Crawford Lewis took a leave of absence. Lewis was later terminated and indicted on charges of running a criminal enterprise in the school system.
Surveys taken last year showed stakeholders wanted candidates who had no present or past ties with the DeKalb school system. But in her time in office, Tyson has earned praise from both parents and outside organizations for her leadership. Tyson isn't saying whether she is now interested in taking on the top job permanently.
"I have every confidence that the board will find an excellent external candidate for superintendent, and my job will be to support the new superintendent and to ensure a smooth transition," Tyson wrote in an e-mailed response to questions. "The board has not asked me to consider taking the position permanently, and I have not asked the board to consider me as it continues its external search."
In Tyson’s contract, she agreed to spend six months working with the incoming superintendent. During that advisory period, she will still collect her $240,000 annual salary. Once Tyson’s contract expires June 30, 2012, she is expected to return to her previous position, deputy chief superintendent of business operations, and salary of $164,000.
The board agreed in December to offer a minimum salary of $275,000 to a new superintendent.
Leonardo McClarty, president of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, said the school board should not race against a deadline to pick a superintendent. It should take its time and get it right.
“We certainly understand the Board of Education’s sense of urgency in wanting to get someone in,” he said. “I think the big thing is making sure that we get the right person. If that means starting from scratch, then we would say start from scratch.”
According to a source close to negotiations, the school board voted 6-3 to pursue talks with Cox, but she backed off after details about her contract requests were leaked to the media. Cox was reportedly asking for a 15-month severance package, a due process hearing before she could be terminated, a $275,000 salary and three-year standing contract, meaning a year would be added to her contract annually. She also wanted 25 days of vacation, $28,000 for moving expenses and $2,000 a month for six months for living expenses during her relocation.
Cox did not return repeated phone calls.
Marcia Coward, president of the DeKalb County Council of PTAs, said the school board should redo its national search for a superintendent.
“They need to start all over again,” Coward said. “None of the three candidates that they brought in in my opinion were qualified candidates. At this point, where they are negotiating with the least experienced candidate at the level that they are negotiating is atrocious. There are qualified candidates out there that they can find to lead DeKalb to where DeKalb needs to be. Right now, that is not what we have.”
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