The In-State Expertise of Board Association Consultants
BY STEPHANIE A. HYDER/School Administrator, March 2018

Stephanie Hyder manages superintendent searches for the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.

My father, like so many others in my family, worked in public schools and truly wanted to do good things for all children.

He retired from his school district in Perkins, Okla., after serving as the superintendent for 10 years. He guided the board of education members over his tenure to become critical thinkers and thoughtful leaders; built trust between the district and the community; passed a series of bonds that dramatically improved school facilities and instilled student pride; welcomed hundreds of new students to the district; and hired educators who believed in the future of their publicly educated students.

When I think of his legacy and the difference he made in our community, I realize the magnitude of my job as a search consultant for the Oklahoma State School Boards Association. My role is to find men and women like him to lead school districts across my state. It’s never an easy task.

A Wide Network
Fortunately, I am not alone in this pursuit. I am surrounded by like-minded search consultants through my relationship with the National Affiliation of Superintendent Searchers. NASS, which has operated since 1997, is a network of 40 state school boards associ-ations and 110 search consultants.

Serving as chair for NASS this year had led me to realize that NASS members believe that all school districts across America need highly skilled chief executives with a passion to lead. Through effective organizational leadership, superintendents can be catalysts for shaping mission-driven school systems that inspire a culture of excellence, where quality teaching and community engagement support our youth for success.

That’s why hiring a superintendent is such a critical function for school boards, and it is why school boards need a search consultant invested in this mission with a passion for improving education in his or her state.

State-Based Connections
Working with in-state consultants affiliated with NASS has several advantages. NASS members:

» work with school boards nationwide, positioning them to understand the serious challenges facing school districts and the leadership qualities necessary during these changing times;

» collaborate with each other on searches, including nationwide job openings and recruitment of highly qualified candidates;

» share vital background and professional references on candidates in other states;

» offer proven track records of placements that last, bringing sustained leadership to the district;

» apply substantial knowledge of state laws affecting the hiring process, particularly state-specific superintendent certification guidelines, which serves to protect the district and the candidate; and

» design well-organized searches attracting quality candidates and adhering to the highest standards of ethics.

Superintendent candidates can capitalize on our network by getting to know their state school boards association’s search consultant, which will connect them with every school district in 40 states.


STEPHANIE HYDER is director of executive search services for the Oklahoma State School Boards Association in Oklahoma City, Okla., and chair of the National Affiliation of Superin-tendent Searchers. Twitter: @stephanie_hyder