Wanted: The next top leader of the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Approximate salary: $310,000 to $340,000.
If you think you have what it takes to lead a diverse school district of about 25,000 students you have until Friday to apply, according to the WCCUSD, which sent out a community update on its search efforts Monday evening.
Its former superintendent, Kenneth “Chris” Hurst, resigned after about three years in the role. Associate Superintendent of Business Services Kim Moses is serving as interim superintendent.
The new leader won’t have it easy, inheriting a number of challenges, including low test scores, declining enrollment, teacher vacancies, chronic absenteeism and financial instability.
The district runs 54 schools in El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, Pinole, and Hercules, along with the unincorporated areas of North Richmond, El Sobrante, Tara Hills, Kensington, and Montalvin Manor. That includes 31 elementary schools, seven K-eight schools, six middle schools, eight high schools, and one adult education center, along with 14 charter schools.
The district says its ethnic/racial makeup is approximately 54% Hispanic/Latino, 13% African American, 11% White, 11% Asian, 6% Filipino, and 1% Pacific Islander. Another 6% of students self-identified as multi-racial, other, or declined to state. (Rounding sums the numbers to slightly above 100%).
The district, which has contracted with Leadership Associates to help with its search, held a series of community meetings to get public input into the characteristics its superintendent should embody.
The resulting job description says it’s seeking a “strong executive leader who has significant experience in leading and managing a large comprehensive school district that serves a wide diversity of students and their families and who will be able to build partnerships with the many organizations that support the work of the district.”
“The next superintendent must be a transformational leader who is committed to equity, student success, anti-racism, and community engagement and has a track record of success in closing the achievement gap and helping all students meet high academic standards,” it states, listing nearly two dozen other characteristics the ideal leader must possess.
Those include:
- Has the ability to manage effectively the district’s financial systems, which requires a strong understanding of school finance, budgeting, and resource allocation, and the ability to manage budget cuts and maximize district assets effectively.
- Will be highly visible in schools and communities, actively listening to student and staff voices while being approachable and empathetic.
- Must be capable of handling crises effectively, building consensus, and repairing fractured relationships within the district.
- Has the ability to maintain a clear distinction between governance and operations while fostering a functional school board.
- Has success in hiring and retaining a high-quality staff through recruitment, retention, and professional development.
- Is committed to a long productive stay.
The posted salary range, $310,000 to $340,000, is slightly below the state average, $357,064, for a unified school district of WCCUSD’s size, according to the 2023-24 average educators’ salaries report card posted by the state Department of Education.
The job description is forthcoming about the challenges facing the west Contra Costa County community, i.e. its 10.6% unemployment rate, with a median household income of $63,137 and 16.8% of families with children under 18 living in poverty, while also noting its pleasantries, such as views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, the San Francisco skyline, and Mount Tamalpais, along with ample hiking and water sports such as fishing.
On April 23 the school board will hold a special closed meeting to review applicationsand select candidates to be interviewed.
