SCHOOL EXECUTIVE SEARCH
OUR specialty in School Executive Search is based on our belief that the most important responsibility of a Board of Education is to select as its executive a highly qualified professional who can work well with the Board, staff and the community to provide a quality education for all students in your school district now and into the future.
In turn, the most important responsibility of the school executive is to hire the most competent executive team to assist in fulfilling the school district's or school's vision, goals, priorities and commitments.
Our expertise matches Board, district and school needs with executive talent and experience, and we will provide all necessary services to conduct a successful search tailored to meet your specific needs.
About the Process
- PROACT SEARCH, INC. works closely with a Board of Education as a partner, identifying immediate needs and long-range goals and understanding the nuances of the school district and its culture. We seek those candidates who will contribute the most to a school district’s success.
- Experience tells us that the best person for your Superintendent or other school executive position may not be seeking a new position or may not respond to an ad or posting. This individual must be sought out. And, we do this exceptionally well. We do more than review applications or self-nominations, we find you the right person and a good fit based on your needs. If you want to consider non-traditional candidates with proven management and leadership records, we can identify them for you. We ensure a gender and racially balanced group of qualified individuals. We will find you 6 to 12 or even 20 qualified candidates.
- We foster a delicate balance, making certain that candidates understand the needs and potential of the opportunity. We assist Boards in realizing the maximum potential of the candidates.
- PROACT SEARCH, INC. plans and tailors a strategy with each Board. We do not use a generic procedure or a canned program. We will develop a work plan and timeline, detailing roles and responsibilities and personalizing our services. We will work with you to design and implement stakeholder and community engagement strategies to build consensus and support around the process and the position profile or hiring criteria. While we suggest a work outline, a Board can choose more or less of our services.
- We have a successful track record and a list of well-satisfied clients for your review. We represent organizations and Boards, not individuals seeking positions. That sets us apart from other search and recruiting firms that are finding jobs for unemployed executives. Utilizing our services allows a school district to tap into the synergy of our vital connections in the not-for-profit, for profit and education communities in every corner of this nation to meet your executive staffing needs.
- We do more than “fill a job,” we search out individuals who will leave a mark on their new school district and on the communities they join.
About Our Team
- Our diverse team of more than 20 professionals across the country has exemplary credentials and reputation in executive and human resource management and in education. Our managing principal has over 20 years of public school administrative experience and has worked directly for a board of school directors. Our associates, many of whom are bilingual, are current or former superintendents and principals, university professors, human resource directors, state school superintendents…to name a few. See: Our Team (click here)
- Through active involvement in school and community work, we are close to educational issues and to leaders and opinion-makers who shape educational policy. We have expertise in designing effective community involvement strategies and planning on-site visits and activities. We have worked with Boards on governance issues, defining roles and responsibilities, designing performance assessment instruments and plans, negotiating employment agreements, advising on media relations and developing audit and accountability functions. See: Scope of Services: Management Consulting (click here)
About Our Strength in Recruiting
- Our ability to recruit quality candidates is an important key to any successful school executive search. Our associates maintain positive working relationships with key leaders at colleges and universities, national public and private organizations; professional societies and other search firms. Thus, we stay abreast of the performance of the best school administrators across the country.
- Through our local, state and national networks, we contact successfully employed administrators. We don’t wait for them to come to us through ads or postings. We are PROACTive in our approach.
About Our Thorough Background Checks
- PROACT SEARCH, INC. carefully screens and researches each candidate who is presented to a Board. Those candidates, under serious consideration, are subjected to thorough background checks, verifying references, academic credentials, employment history, driver’s license checks, even consumer credit and criminal background investigations. This information relies on many hours of research and investigation to ensure our clients that the candidates are whom they say they are.
About Our Commitments and Guarantee
- Information concerning your search will remain confidential, unless we are asked by you to make disclosures required by law.
- We will work on a retained basis, a fixed fee or, if the Board prefers, on an hourly basis. Expenses will be defined prior to the search and can be tailored to meet the needs of your school district.
- We pride ourselves on sensitivity both to the Board and to the candidate and on the beneficial relationships we help create.
- We ensure a “good fit” and guarantee the final results… leading to a longer and more lasting relationship.
- We will provide a written agreement between PROACT SEARCH, INC. and a Board or school district, containing the provisions of our proposal, including scope, process, timelines, fees and expenses and our satisfaction guarantee. See: Why Proact Search?: Our Commitments and Guarantee (click here)
Recent School Executive Searches
- Lakota Local Schools (OH) - Treasurer/Chief Fiscal Officer Search, 2007-2008. Enrollment: 18,000 students.
- Racine Unified School District (WI) - Superintendent Search, 2007-2008. Enrollment: 21,000 students.
- School District U-46 (Elgin, IL) - Superintendent Search, 2007-2008. Enrollment: 41,000 students.
- Los Angeles Unified School District (CA) - Executive Team Positions (5) Search, 2007. Enrollment: 730,000 students.
- Portland Public School s (OR) - Superintendent Search, 2007. Enrollment: 46, 000 students.
- Florida State Board of Education (FL) - Florida State Commissioner of Education Search, 2007.
- Baltimore City Public School System (MD) - Chief Executive Officer Search, 2007. Enrollment: 85, 000 students.
- Toledo Public Schools (OH) - Superintendent Search, 2006-2007. Enrollment: 30,000 students.
- Los Angeles Unified School District (CA) - Food Services Director Search, 2006. Enrollment: 727,000 students.
- Aurora Public Schools (CO) - Superintendent Search, 2006. Enrollment: 33,000 students.
- Cleveland Municipal School District (OH) – Executive Director of Special and Gifted Education and Executive Director of Multilingual Multi-cultural Education searches, 2006. Enrollment: 66,000 students.
- Las Cruces Public Schools (NM) - Superintendent Search, 2006. Enrollment: 23,000 students.
- School District of Kansas City (MO) - Superintendent Search, 2006. Enrollment: 28,000 students.
- St. Paul Public Schools (MN) - Superintendent Search, 2005-2006. Enrollment: 41,000.
- Delaware School for the Deaf (Wilmington, DE) - Head of School and School Leaders (3) Searches, 2005. Enrollment: 600
- National Heritage Academies (MI) - Five Heads of School Searches in Brooklyn, Michigan, Ohio and New York, 2005.
- Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DC) - Head of School Search, 2005. Enrollment: 500 students.
- Columbus Public Schools (OH) -Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Search, 2005. Enrollment: 60,000 students.
- Indianapolis Public Schools (IN) - Superintendent Search, 2005. Enrollment: 39,000 students.
- Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools (GA) - Superintendent Search, 2005. Enrollment: 35,000 students.
- School District of Hillsborough County (FL) - Superintendent Search, 2005. Enrollment: 190,000 students.
- East Baton Rouge Parish School System (LA) - Chief Academic Officer Search, 2004. Enrollment: 45,000 students.
- Norfolk Public Schools (VA) - Superintendent Search, 2004-2005. Enrollment: 36,000 students.
- St. Louis Public Schools (MO) - Superintendent Search, 2004. Enrollment: 36,950 students.
- Montgomery Public Schools (AL) - Superintendent Search, 2004. Enrollment: 33,000 students.
- District of Columbia Public Schools (DC) - Superintendent Search, 2004. Enrollment: 65,000 students.
- Buffalo Public Schools (NY) - Chief Financial Officer, 2003 - 2004. Enrollment: 42,000 students.
- Portland Public Schools (OR) - Superintendent Search, 2003 - 2004.Enrollment: 50,000 students.
- Seattle Public Schools (WA) - Superintendent Search, 2003.Enrollment: 47,000 students.
- Memphis City Schools (TN) - Superintendent Search, 2003. Enrollment: 118,000 students.
- Marquette University (WI) - Law School Dean Search, 2002-2003.
- Excelsior College (NY) - Vice President-Academics Search; Dean of Business and Technology Search, 2002- 2003.
- Beginning with Children Foundation (NY) - School Principal Search for Beginning with Children Charter School and School Director Search for Community Partnerships Charter School in Brooklyn, NY, 2003.
- Round Lake Area Schools District (IL) - Chief Executive Officer Search and Chief Educational Officer Search, 2003. Enrollment: 6,100 students.
- Cincinnati Public Schools (OH) - Superintendent Search, 2002. Enrollment: 42,500 students.
- Illinois State Board of Education (IL) - State Superintendent Search, 2002. Enrollment: 900 school districts; 2,000,000 students
- Beacon Education Management, Inc. (MA) – Vice President - Education Search, 2001. Charter School Principal Searches, 2001.
- Tucson (AZ) Unified School District – Superintendent Search, 2000. Enrollment: 63,000 students.
- Gateway (PA) School District – Superintendent Search, 2000. Enrollment: 4500 students.
- Cleveland Municipal School District – Transportation Director Search, 1999; Human Resources Director Search, 1999; Safety and Security Director Search, 2000, Facilities Director Search, 2000.
- Inglewood (CA) Unified School District – Superintendent Search, 1999 – 2000. Enrollment: 19,000 students.
- Toledo Public Schools – Superintendent Search, 1999 – 2000. Enrollment: 40,000 students.
- Pittsburgh Public Schools – Superintendent Search, 1999 – 2000. Enrollment: 40,000 students.
- Oakland (CA) Unified School District – Superintendent Search, 1999 – 2000. Enrollment: 53,000 students.
- Denver Public Schools – Superintendent Search, 1999. Enrollment: 69,000 students.
- Colorado Association of School Boards – Executive Director Search, 1999. Membership: 171 School Boards.
- Providence (RI) Public Schools – Superintendent Search, 1999. Enrollment: 26,000 students.
- Seattle Public Schools – Chief Academic Officer Search, 1998-1999. Enrollment: 48,000 students.
- New Orleans Public Schools – Superintendent Search, 1998 – 1999. Enrollment: 82,000 students.
- St. Paul Public Schools – Superintendent Search, (subcontractor to NSBA), 1998. Enrollment: 45,000 students.
- Milwaukee Public Schools – Superintendent Search, 1997. Enrollment: 106,000 students.
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