Don’t rush, and opt for transparency

With news of Superintendent Dave Benson's retirement in June, the Cedar Rapids Community School Board is rapidly shaping its search process. Too rapidly, in our view.

At 4 p.m. today in the district's Educational Leadership and Support Center, the school board will meet in special session to discuss hiring a search firm and mapping out its search process. It's the important first step in finding Benson's replacement.

We understand the board's desire to get cracking on this important process. But we don't understand why it opted to shoehorn its special meeting just before winter break, when many people who might be interested are otherwise occupied by holiday travel and preparations. This meeting could have waited until after the holidays.

But if the board insists on moving ahead, we urge its members to make public participation, open meetings and full transparency the hallmarks of its search.

Previous searches have allowed citizens provide input on what they'd like to see in a superintendent, to know the names of finalists and question top candidates in public forum.

Parents, students, staff, community leaders and, of course, taxpayers should play a central role in the process. The goal must be that district residents feel like they've gotten their questions answered, concerns addressed and have had their say before the board makes its final decision.

And that's because the superintendent of the Cedar Rapids Community School District leads an institution that will spend $248 million this school year, including more than $73 million in local property taxes. With a staff of more than 2,900, the district among the metro's top employers. Its economic, social and, of course, educational value to the community is massive.

School Board President Mary Meisterling says the board will be looking for a creative, innovative candidate willing to push the envelope. That's a good sign. And if the board seeks guidance from a search firm, we also urge it to have the courage to break away form the conventions of a typical search.

Finding a truly exceptional candidate may require looking outside of the box built for the board by consultants.

This district faces big issues, and the next superintendent will lead the charge. It's a decision that shouldn't be rushed, and should be unafraid of public scrutiny.

Correction: An earlier version of this editorial incorrectly listed the start date of the Cedar Rapids School District holiday break, which begins Wednesday, Dec. 24.

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