State Superintendent of Schools
Wv Dept. Of Education
Charleston, WV
Full-time
Sales
Posted on February 22, 2020
State Superintendent of Schools
The West Virginia Board of Education is seeking qualified candidates for the position of State Superintendent of Schools.
Duties and Responsibilities
The West Virginia Board of Education (State Board) is seeking qualified candidates for the position of State Superintendent of Schools (State Superintendent). The State Board is a twelve-member body (with nine members appointed by the Governor upon the advice and consent of the West Virginia Senate) and has constitutional authority for the general supervision of public schools in West Virginia. The State Superintendent serves at the will and pleasure of the State Board as its executive officer and administrator of the West Virginia Department of Education (Department). West Virginia’s public school system serves more than 265,000 students in grades pre k-12, with an operating budget in excess of 2.6 billion dollars.
Qualifications
- The West Virginia Board of Education, West Virginia executive and legislative leaders, school/Department staff, and citizen groups share a broad consensus on the goals and challenges for West Virginia’s schools, and that frame the requirements for a new State Superintendent. S/he shall:
• meet the requirements of W. Va. Code §18-3-1;
West Virginia Code §18-3-1. Appointment; qualifications; compensation; traveling expenses; office and residence; evaluation.
There shall be appointed by the state board a State Superintendent of Schools who serves at the will and pleasure of the state board. He or she shall be a person of good moral character, shall be able to perform the duties listed in this article and possess such other educational, administrative, experiential and other qualifications as determined by the State Board of Education. He or she shall hold at least a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or equivalent degree as determined by the state board. He or she shall receive an annual salary set by the state board, to be paid at least twice per month. The state superintendent also shall receive necessary traveling expenses incident to the performance of his or her duties to be paid out of the General School Fund upon warrants of the State Auditor. The state superintendent shall have his or her office at the state Capitol. The state board shall report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability upon request concerning its progress during any hiring process for a state superintendent.
The state board annually shall evaluate the performance of the state superintendent and publicly announce the results of the evaluation.
• be the voice of West Virginia’s public education system, willing to work collaboratively with the Governor, the Legislature, county superintendents and local school boards, teachers and educational organizations, parents, citizens, higher education entities, and the business community to identify key challenges and articulate policy in ways that draw competing perspectives together, specifically to meet the needs of West Virginians;
• have demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of students and staff from differing geographic, economic, ethnic, cultural, and special needs backgrounds, and have a track record of actively promoting, and improving student achievement from every level of academic preparation and learning style;
• be an educational leader well versed in federal and state legislation pertaining to education, who will speak effectively for the schools, representing the system, and articulating educational goals and policy to stakeholders and constituencies;
• have a thorough knowledge and understanding of standards, curriculum, assessment, and accountability with a vision for positioning West Virginia as a national leader;
• have a sophisticated understanding of technology and how it is used and integrated with curriculum, standards, and assessment;
• have a thorough knowledge and understanding of instructional design, implementation, and measurement, and have demonstrated success in this arena;
• have demonstrated ability to lead strategic planning and effectively implement, monitor, adjust, and evaluate all aspects of the process;
• understand budgets and the budgeting process;
• demonstrate a capacity and willingness to build trust among Department staff and other stakeholders, with evidence of outstanding leadership and management accomplishments; and
• have highly developed skills as a communicator and facilitator in working with the State Board, with the ability to generate and engage in dialogue, present options and challenges, and be responsive to the State Board.
Expectations
All applicants must submit an application which includes:
1) letter of application stating qualifications and reasons for interest in the position;
2) current resume;
3) narrative of experience which addresses what specific experience and background has prepared you for this role, in this state, at this particular time;
4) certifications/licensure; and
5) minimum of three professional references and one community member reference who may be contacted.
Salary
Salary negotiable within legislative appropriation, based on experience and qualifications.