The state Board of Education is taking a big step toward hiring a new state superintendent.
Monday it selected a search firm to find possible candidates.
The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Jake Neher has more.
The board still needs to iron out contract details with Iowa-based Ray and Associates. Assuming that goes smoothly, it expects to hire a replacement for retiring state Superintendent Mike Flanagan before May.
Board President John Austin says they’ve made clear what kind of candidates they’re looking for.
“We want a strong educational leader with a proven record of improving educational performance who shares a philosophy and a substantive approach for how to do that with the board,” he says.
And we now know the board’s philosophy and approach will continue to lean Democratic. Democrats maintained their six-to-two majority on the board with last week’s election.