Fresno Unified has become tight-lipped about its superintendent hiring process as finalist interviews begin Wednesday.

The district’s board of trustees met in a closed session last Thursday to choose the finalists to succeed retired Superintendent Bob Nelson.

Board President Valarie Davis declined to comment on how many finalists were selected, saying it is a “confidential process.”

It is unclear how the interviews will be conducted — in person or via the web. “We’ll see when we get there,” Davis said.

Residents Can Address the Board Wednesday Morning

The school board is holding a special meeting Wednesday at 8 a.m. at Doubletree by Hilton, Fresno Convention Center, Salon D2.

Individuals will be given time to address the board on closed session items: “Public Employment/Appointment (Government Code Section 54957). a. Superintendent.”

Those who wish to speak will be given three minutes each with a 30-minute public comment cap, according to the agenda.

Immediately following closed session, the board will reconvene and report any action taken.

Meanwhile, the Fresno Teachers Association wants an opportunity to interview the finalists.

“When you make decisions behind closed doors like this, it erodes trust. That trust level is zero right now,” FTA President Manuel Bonilla said.

The state’s third-largest school district is now led by interim Superintendent Misty Her, who applied for the permanent job and is expected to be among the finalists.

Search Timeline Changes

The district is departing from its original search timeline, which showed the trustees reviewing finalists over two days and selecting a superintendent on Wednesday.

Davis said she is is unsure when the board will select the next district leader.

“I have no idea. You know, there could be no one that shows up, so we can’t vote,” Davis told GV Wire, “I have no idea what will happen.”

Ben Johnson, lead consultant from the contracted third-party search firm, McPherson & Jacobson L.L.C., reiterated this.

“Even after the interviews, if the board isn’t wowed by the candidates, I would tell them: Don’t ever settle,” Johnson told GV Wire, “You stick with the timeline because you found the person that’s going to be exceptional leading the district.”

After voting on a superintendent, contract negotiations will begin. A contract would be presented to the board on April 23, according to the search timeline.

FTA Wants ‘Authentic Collaboration’

FTA wants in on the action, previously requesting to interview finalists.

“If you’re (the Board) not going to do an advisory committee, you should at least allow us to know who the finalists are so we could interview them from a teacher’s perspective and be able to provide some insights from a teachers perspective,” Bonilla said.

That won’t happen, Davis said.

“We contracted the search firm. If FTA wanted to do something, they should have contracted a search firm themselves,” she said.

Last month, the State Center Community College District held a community forum for its three Fresno City College president finalists. The district announced the selection of Fresno native Denise Whisenhunt on Tuesday. 

In contrast, Fresno Unified has conducted listening sessions to receive community feedback.

This is a “check off box” rather than authentic collaboration, Bonilla told GV Wire.

National Search Attracted ‘Good Core of Candidates’

McPherson & Jacobson L.L.C. presented the board with applicants from across the country, supplying recorded interviews and resumes.

There is a “good core of candidates that applied” Johnson said.

The search firm is responsible for recruiting and screening applicants, according to its $34,500 contract. The firm posted the superintendent opening in early March.

The listing outlined district metrics, school board goals, and exclusionary criteria for candidates seeking the challenge of turning around one of the nation’s lowest-performing districts.

Additionally, the post highlighted the board’s newly adopted board goals and guardrails, designed to outline expectations for district leadership — including the next superintendent.

Previous performance will be used as an indicator of future performance in the evaluation of finalists.

“People can say whatever they want to say, but can they demonstrate those successes?” Johnson said.

The board expects the future superintendent to prioritize student achievement.

“Our student outcomes focused governance, that’s kind of the backbone of everything we do,” Davis said.

Transparency Concerns Rise

Transparency was a point of contention in the previously halted superintendent search.

That search had commenced after Nelson announced his retirement last summer, but community members, led by then-Fresno Unified School Board President Susan Wittrup, objected to the search’s focus on internal candidates and advocated for a national search.

On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, Wittrup stood alongside city leaders, including Councilmembers Miguel Arias, Garry Bredefeld, Nelson Esparza, and Mike Karbassi, as well as Bonilla and other union leaders, urging the board not to rush the selection process for the district’s next superintendent.

At the time, the board had planned to focus its search internally, considering only candidates who had previously worked within Fresno Unified. But one day after the press conference, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, the board voted 5-2 to pause scheduled interviews with internal candidates and launch a broader, external search.

On Wednesday, the Fresno Unified Board of Trustees are interviewing candidates and will make a decision on who will lead the next generation of students.

Transparency — specifically the lack of it — continues to be an issue for some.

Trustees are hiding behind confidentiality, said Bonilla, who called for a town hall so the community could learn about the finalists and their values.

Tuesday morning, FTA sent a proposal to the board, offering to pay for and host a town hall.

When asked if there will be any public meeting with finalists, Davis responded, “Doubt it.”

(Disclaimer: Darius Assemi is the publisher of GV Wire)