Austin ISD posts superintendent position; signals possible inside choice
In a sign that it is ready to move forward with choosing a new leader for the district, the Board of Trustees for the Austin Independent School District unanimously voted Thursday night to post the job of superintendent.
AUSTIN (KXAN) – In a sign that it is ready to move forward with choosing a new leader for the district, the Board of Trustees for the Austin Independent School District unanimously voted Thursday night to post the job of superintendent.
It also unanimously voted to add the following to the superintendent job profile:
- prioritization of special education, with specific references to inclusive practices
- a focus placed on multilingual education
- more emphasis on staff morale
- an equality statement on gender identity and sexual orientation
The board voted to post the position from Friday, Nov. 17 until 5 p.m., Dec. 7.
AISD Board President Arati Singh said the board faced two options: a months-long national search or an immediate posting if they felt that a search was not necessary.
According to the district, school boards generally choose the latter option when they have a strong candidate in mind.
The Board of Trustees paused the current superintendent search Mar. 30 and extended the contract of Interim Superintendent Matias Segura through June 30, 2024.
Back in March, Singh called the hiring process, “immensely important,” and that the board, “must address immediate needs that would benefit from uninterrupted district leadership at this critical time.”
Singh said Thursday night that the board heard again from community in October about the superintendent profile and hiring process.
“There was an overwhelming message of wanting stability, focusing on strengthening systems to improve students outcomes and wanting someone with a demonstrating commitment to Austin ISD,” Singh said.
“Although we have a strong internal candidate we are committed to considering every application that is received,” Singh said.
On Thursday night, Singh said the board formally evaluated Segura in August. She did not reveal the results of that evaluation.
The board will review the applicants during their Dec. 7 executive session, the district said.
Austin ISD has been without a permanent superintendent since Stephanie Elizalde left for Dallas ISD in June 2022.