If you like how Florida Republicans have politicized public education, you\u2019ll love state Rep. Michael Owen\u2019s latest idea.<\/p>\n
The Apollo Beach Republican wants to make Hillsborough County\u2019s school superintendent an elected position. Hillsborough\u2019s last elected superintendent, J. Crockett Farnell, resigned in 1966 after 17 years in office. For the six decades since, Hillsborough\u2019s elected School Board has appointed the superintendent, the same way it happens in 99.9% of all school districts in the country.<\/p>\n
Owen proposed the bill at a meeting this month of Hillsborough\u2019s legislative delegation. He said that \u201cparents and the voters of Hillsborough County should determine who the CEO of their child\u2019s education is.\u201d If the bill becomes law, voters would still need to approve the change through a countywide referendum.<\/p>\n
I called Owen to get his thoughts. He never called back. (For that matter, he didn\u2019t float the proposal with school officials, either.) But this is a bad idea. Its rationale is based on speculation. It gambles with our children\u2019s future for the interests of adults. It sets the table for minorities to be further marginalized. And it threatens the quality and stability of America\u2019s seventh-largest school system. All for a top-down proposal from Tallahassee that has had virtually zero public debate.<\/p>\n
First, what evidence exists that the change would make Hillsborough\u2019s superintendent more accountable? As it stands, the superintendent is hired by and answers to a seven-member board, comprised of five members representing distinct geographic areas and two members elected countywide. That mix is essential in a diverse county like Hillsborough to ensure that all residents have a voice at the table. An elected superintendent could merely cherry-pick which voters to cater to depending on high-turnout neighborhoods. That could easily exacerbate racial and income disparities in school testing, graduation and disciplinary rates.<\/p>\n
Second, electing a superintendent would narrow the talent pool and deny Hillsborough the best possible choice for its top educator. Currently, the School Board can conduct a nationwide search for a superintendent. Hillsborough\u2019s size and Florida\u2019s welcoming climate are big draws for recruiting. These candidate pools provide a fresh lens on how Hillsborough operates and ways it can improve. All that goes away with an elected superintendent. No qualifications or credentials are necessary, beyond being a county voter aged 18 or older. Name ID becomes more important than one\u2019s educational experience, track record, administrative skills or judgment. A single incompetent elected superintendent could destroy a system that the entire Tampa Bay region depends on.<\/p>\n
Third, communities have less control over elected superintendents. Appointed administrators must show up to work, account for their performance and be available to their elected board. Those who prove a bad fit are easier to fire than someone armed with a four-year term. Elected superintendents, with their own power base, have more freedom with their schedule. Do they show up two days a week or five? They must divide their time and attention with fundraising and campaigning. Elections for superintendent can also sweep up the professional staff, creating friction in the bureaucracy. Having an elected superintendent and an elected school board can also create a team of rivals, undermining a school district\u2019s mission and image.<\/p>\n
While the majority of Florida\u2019s 67 school districts have elected superintendents, those are mostly smaller or midsize counties. Eight of Florida\u2019s 10 largest school districts have appointed administrators, which, beyond Hillsborough, include Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange and Pinellas counties.<\/p>\n
This looks like a solution in search of a problem. With lagging test scores, dwindling enrollment, teacher shortages, underused campuses and a host of bigger challenges, why are we considering a change in school governance that nobody on the ground has asked for? How can anyone argue that Hillsborough\u2019s superintendent is unaccountable when the school board that does the hiring routinely has the largest field of candidates in every local election?<\/p>\n
Hillsborough\u2019s electorate may be turning red, but they tend to vote blue on school-related issues. This looks like a classic case of an out-of-touch politician. Hillsborough\u2019s legislative delegation should hit the brakes on this idea. It\u2019s just another lightning rod for dividing the community.<\/p>\n