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Position Description for Superintendent opening Fresno Unified School District, Fresno, California

At Fresno Unified, we are taking a big swing: rethinking the definition of high-quality public education, combining the wisdom and proven effectiveness of a student outcomes focused approach to school board governance, with the energy of our community’s vision and values to deliver positive student achievement outcomes.

The Board of Education of the Fresno Unified School District, Fresno, California , is seeking a highly qualified, fully certified, educational leader to serve as Superintendent. The Board wishes to have the successful candidate assume the responsibilities of the position July 1, 2025.

McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C., Executive Recruitment and Development, in collaboration with the California School Boards Association, has been engaged as the consultant in a search for outstanding candidates. They will assist the Board of Education in identifying and screening the candidates.

Enrollment: 71,480

Location: Fresno, California

The Qualifications

We are looking for people who share our mission.

Our most deeply held beliefs are that improving student outcomes is our North Star, school systems exist to improve student outcomes, and that student achievement improves by design, not by accident. We are looking for those who share our worldview and are willing to couple an unrelenting insistence to focus on student achievement with painstaking attention to the actions and data that matter.

We are looking for people who like to solve hard problems.

At FUSD, our goals and values are deeply important to us — so much so that we made them explicit through a process of board-hosted community listening sessions and the development of specific achievement goals and guardrails.

The Fresno Unified School District Superintendent’s evaluation will be solely based on accomplishing the goals while honoring the guardrails.

Board Adopted Goals:

1. Early Literacy: The percentage of 1st graders who are proficient in literacy based on iReady results will increase from 48% in June 2024 to 80% June 2030.
2. Literacy Intervention: The percentage of 3 ^rd -8 ^th grade students who are more than one year behind as measured by Smarter Balanced (SBAC) English Language Arts (ELA) who make more than one year’s growth will increase from X% in June 2024 to Y% by June 2030.
3. College & Career Readiness: The percentage of students graduating from high school who are college and career ready based on CCI will increase from 43% in June 2024 to 64% by June 2030.
4. Life Skills: The percentage of 6 ^th, 8 ^th, and 12 ^th grade students who demonstrate benchmarked competencies in the skills listed in the Portrait of a Learner using age-appropriate assessments will increase by X% in June 2027 to Y% by June 2030.

Board Adopted Guardrails:

1. Community Engagement: The superintendent may not propose major decisions to the Board without first having a community engagement plan.
2. Equitable Access: The superintendent may not meet the goals by leaving out or denying access to any distinct and/or vulnerable population groups (for example, African American, English Learners, Foster Youth, Homeless and SWD) or schools.
3. Effective Staff: The superintendent will not allow the hiring, promotion, or lateral movement of staff who are performing “does not meet standard” as defined by CPSELs, CSTPs, and classified standards.
4. Health & Wellness: The superintendent may not meet the goals at the cost of unreasonably compromising the health and wellness of students and staff.

Top candidates should exhibit and value the following:

• Accountability
• Diversity
• Inclusion
• Rigor
• Transparency
• Courage
• Empathy
• Resilience
• Teamwork
• Urgency
• Curiosity
• Humor
• Responsibility
• Thriftiness
• Versatility

We are looking for people who share our values.

Our hiring process is a little different than most: we believe that the best basis for assessment of a person is not through their performance on an arbitrary oral exam, but rather through their own expression. That is, we choose to use interviews not to assess you as a stranger, but rather to more deeply understand the complete person who your work indicates you to be.

Criteria

• Visionary: A bold leader who is courageous and will lead based on our new direction, an individual able to identify and recruit talent, mentor and empower others by successfully inspiring and motivating them to achieve at high levels and is knowledgeable about the use of technology in education. Will always focus on the core-our classrooms, will craft a direction that inspires and empowers our classroom productivity and performance for all of our students and our community.
• An educational leader: who is excited about and committed to being visible in the schools and engaged with the community in a meaningful and discernible way. A multicultural person who can effectively relate to diverse cultures, listen to their needs, dreams and opinions, and is skilled in resolving their issues with the schools. The superintendent is expected to be a person who invites the community to be involved with the schools, and likewise, models the District's involvement with the community through their own participation in community events and organizations.
• An experienced and passionate educator: who is committed to student achievement as integral to the culture of the district and each school. The next superintendent must know the best practices in teaching and learning, be able to implement effective curriculum, assist in the selection of purposeful professional development, and employ systems of assessment that all result in increased student achievement. The next superintendent must be an instructional leader who focuses on the whole child and is knowledgeable and experienced in the best practices to close the achievement gap. This leader must have successful experience administering Special Education services.
• Visible: A compassionate leader who leads with a love of children and family. A person who is visible from the classroom to the greater community. A personable leader who enjoys being around people in the community who understands what it means to be the “Face of the District”. A leader who knows how to be “present” to students, staff, parent and the community. A leader who has the skills to build effective partnerships both within the district and in the community to meet the needs of the students and their families.

Exclusionary Criteria

1. Candidate must hold a valid California Administrative Service Credential, or equivalent from another state.
2. Candidate must have K-12 teaching or administrative experience.
3. Candidate must have previous district level leadership experience.
4. Candidate must have experience with a diverse population similar to Fresno; including but not limited to generational poverty, cultural, racial and socioeconomic diversity.
5. Candidate may not be a party to pending criminal litigation.
6. Candidate must be willing to complete a background check prior to interviewing.

Salary: negotiable based on experience

Search Timeline:

• Closing date for applications: March 28, 2025 (11:30 p.m. central time)
• Board of Education selects finalists to interview: April 3, 2025
• Interviews with the Board of Education: April 8-9, 2025
• Selection of new Superintendent: TBD
• Start date: TBD

Please apply online to: www.macnjake.com