Superintendent search stalls. Fresno Unified board says it’s not worried about uncertainty

After four months, Fresno Unified is still far away from selecting a new superintendent as the summer break looms, choosing to pause the search as board members discuss “available options.”

At issue has been whether to focus on internal candidates or conduct a broader search, perhaps nationwide, for a replacement to run the third largest district in California. Over the course of four months, a search firm has resigned as a division among board members came to light over which direction to take. That tension spilled out into public view as parents and other members of the public, along with board members and other elected officials, openly criticized the initial decision to focus on internal candidates.

Board President Susan Wittrup said Wednesday evening after a regular board meeting that they’re “making progress” but she declined to give a timeline. When The Fresno Bee asked whether the board still hopes to select a new leader before Superintendent Bob Nelson leaves at the end of July, Wittrup said the district isn’t worried because it has good leadership in place.

Trustee Keshia Thomas said the board’s goal is to hire a superintendent or appoint an interim superintendent before the end of July.

As Fresno Unified nears four months in its search for a new superintendent, here’s a recap of the stalled search.

January 22, 2024: Superintendent Bob Nelson announced his departure

The district announced Superintendent Bob Nelson would be stepping down effective July 31 for a tenure track faculty position at Fresno State.

Deputy Superintendent Misty Her was anticipated to be named the Interim superintendent if a permanent superintendent has yet to be selected at that time, said the press release.

Read more at: Fresno Unified announces superintendent’s departure in July. Here’s where he’s going next

In late February, Fresno Unified conducted 24 community listening sessions

The district hired a consultant firm to host a series of community listening sessions. Among a total of 24 meetings, seven were open to the public, and the rest were held for local groups, district partners, and student and parent groups.

In four of the public meetings attended by The Fresno Bee, consultants asked three of the same questions: Characteristics you’d like to see in the next superintendent, strengths of the district, challenges facing the district; and in some sessions, a fourth question: Advice for the new superintendent.

The preference for internal or external candidates, which later prompted public criticism, was never asked during the meetings.

Read more at: Fresno Unified Board has a plan to search for new superintendent. Here’s step No. 1

March 20, 2024: The board announced a closed-door interview with district employees

Board President Susan Wittrup announced that the listening sessions and community input gathering had been completed. The board would move to the next step to conduct closed-door internal interviews.

A day prior, the board received an executive report summarizing the community feedback and a proposed job description from the headhunter. Wittrup said the report indicated choosing internal candidates and a majority of trustees decided 4-3 to consider district employees only. Wittrup said she received public complaints that the consultant’s recommended path didn’t reflect the wishes of the public to look at external candidates.

Trustees Keshia Thomas and Valerie Davis countered that internal interviews would just be the first step. Davis said the consultant’s contract only asked the firm to look at internal candidates, and the board would decide whether to expand the search after the internal interviews.

Read more at: Fresno Unified only interviewing internal superintendent candidates. Here’s what we know

April 2, 2024: Wittrup held a press conference, Trustee flipped sides

Wittrup and community leaders including city council members and Fresno Teachers Association representatives, held a press conference calling for an open and transparent search and urging the public to speak to the board at the April 3 meeting.

The weekend prior, they initiated a petition, listing the names of trustees who leaned towards interviewing only internal candidates and saying the four trustees are hurting the success of Fresno students.

Thomas, who was criticized in the petition, said revealing the information discussed in a closed session violated The Brown Act, the state’s open meetings and public records law.

Another trustee being mentioned, Claudia Cazares, posted on Facebook on the morning of April 2 that she took another look at the community feedback she has heard lately and now supports the board to form a committee for further a national search.

Read more at: Fresno Unified trustee changes position, now wants nationwide superintendent search

April 3, 2024: The board suspended the scheduled interviews amid public outcry

The board voted 5-2 under public pressure to pause planned interviews.

Speakers called for the board to accept applicants outside of district employees and demand a transparent search and interview process.

Members from the Hmong community said the board putting qualified internal candidates, particularly people of color, against external candidates, was culturally insensitive and could lead to racial bias.

The board made no decisions that night. Wittrup announced after the closed discussion that the board would re-evaluate the path forward based on the public’s feedback.

Read more at: Fresno Unified pauses superintendent search, wants a do-over as public decries political games

April 5, 2024: Superintendent headhunter withdraws from search, says process “compromised”

Leadership Associates, the consulting firm, said it has withdrawn from the search, citing public outcry and political infighting that led the board to change the application process agreed upon at the beginning of the search.

Dennis Smith, search lead of the organization, told The Bee they were hired for three tasks: conducting listening sessions, delivering a report with a job description, and advising on internal interviews. The firm prepared two contracts, and the $40,000 one was the first, said Smith, if the board wanted to extend the search externally, the second contract would kick in.

The headhunter said they felt the process was undermined after the board canceled the scheduled interviews and informed the board immediately of their withdrawal.

Read more at: Fresno Unified Superintendent headhunter withdraws from search. Says process ‘compromised’

April 10, 2024: The board announced an external search

Fresno Unified announced a new search to include external applicants.

The board has not made decisions for the next steps, Trustee Veva Islas said, and has yet to discuss the scope of the search. Islas said she assumed the board would hire another firm for a nationwide search.

Read more at: 12 weeks, $40,000 spent, can a new superintendent search for Fresno Unified succeed?

Right before the evening’s board meeting, Fresno’s politicians, community leaders, and advocates circulated an open letter for a thorough, thoughtful and transparent national search.

“Fresno Unified board members should welcome talented and visionary applicants from across the nation who can transform our school district. If an internal candidate proves to be the best choice, let a national search validate that outcome,” wrote the letter.

It was signed by nine people, including Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula, Fresno City councilmembers Miguel Arias and Mike Karbassi, Teachers Association President Manuel Bonilla, former FUSD Board President Brooke Ashjian, Granville Homes CEO Darius Assemi. Priscilla Presto, who disseminated the letter to the media and was named to be the representative of the signees, also works for Granville.