The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board is on the hunt for a new Superintendent.
Board President Barbara Freiberg talks about what they’re looking for and what they expect from John Dilworth’s successor.
What should the new superintendent make top priority?
Improved student achievement should be the overarching goal. Therefore, I feel that the most important characteristic needed … is a sound belief that all students are entitled to a quality education and that every student … can learn at high levels. In addition, the EBR Committee for Educational Excellence (a strategic planning committee of School Board members, educators and community leaders) recently unanimously approved the proposed bold goal that the parish school system will be a top 10 Louisiana district by 2020.
Are you looking inside the system, or for an experienced administrator from outside?
My desire is to hire an experienced, proven change agent [who can] bring together divergent groups with one goal: improving student achievement in this parish. This person may be an experienced educator. However, the best candidate may well be a person who does not have any experience in K-12 education. The person we select … must be results-oriented and data-driven, with a focus on changing perceptions and actions to dramatically improve low-performing schools and to push to higher levels our highest-performing schools.
What’s the most important thing Superintendent Dilworth accomplished?
[He] truly believes that every child can achieve academically and has [brought] into the system improved avenues of instruction, remediation and catch-up. He has supported expanded school choice for all students with the opening of Mentorship Academy, Inspire Charter Academy and the Career Academy. He has worked with community officials to reduce truancy and is supporting … the creation of the Family and Youth Center, a one-stop service center to deal with truancy and child welfare issues. Under his leadership, the district’s performance score has risen each year.
What was his biggest failing?
I would not say that Superintendent Dilworth has had a “big failing.” I am certain that he is disappointed that he was not able to engage our community in a more positive manner and to attract more students to reenroll in our community’s public schools.
When does the board expect to make its decision on who’ll be the next superintendent?
I believe that there are many Board members, including me, who hope we will have a new superintendent identified by mid-term of this school year.
