UPDATE: NAACP says Fayette superintendent interviews need more input

UPDATE POSTED 7:10 a.m. MONDAY, May 24, 2021

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Lexington-Fayette National Association for the Advancement of Colored People continues to have concerns about the search process for the next superintendent of the Fayette County Public Schools and has sent a letter to the Fayette County School Board.

“Final candidates will be announced at the school board meeting on May 24, with just one week for public comment,” said Shambra Mulder, chair of the NAACP Education Committee. “Otherwise, there are only two opportunities for the community to provide feedback through virtual meetings.”

The NAACP has questioned parts of the process since it began earlier this year.

The district has been able to safely return to in-person classes, have high school graduation ceremonies, and other activities. Therefore, the NAACP requests that meetings regarding the Superintendent Search be provided this same priority to be held in person.

“The NAACP has previously reported FCPS’s own data which has consistently shown racial disparities in student achievement, student discipline practices, and teacher hiring. These inequities have been exacerbated during the pandemic,” Mulder added. “The next superintendent will need to develop a plan to address these issues and present a plan for how the district plans to spend $150 million in increased federal funding.”

FCPS is a district where half of the student body is racially diverse (Black, Hispanic, and Asian), but the school board has no diverse representation, the NAACP has said several times during the process.

The current superintendent search plan does not prioritize the need for the community to interact with candidates prior to the final selection decision by the school board.

“The Lexington-Fayette NAACP implores the FCPS board members to extend the final stage of the superintendent search to take place over the next two weeks, rather than in a one-week span that ends with a national holiday weekend,” Mulder added.

“We petition the school board to schedule in-person meetings with the candidates and key community stakeholders including parents, school staff, students, and community leaders,” she noted. “This step would demonstrate that the board wants diverse community input. Such reframing of the interview process would communicate that the school board respects community input and wants the next superintendent to collaboratively work with the school board and the entire community.”

ORIGINAL STORY POSTED 4 P.M. MAY 21, 2021

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Fayette County Board of Education is inviting the community to meet with the candidates for the next superintendent. Public virtual forums will take place online on Wednesday, May 26 and Thursday, May 27 between 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The names of the 3-5 candidates will be announced on May 24 at 5:30 p.m. before the regularly scheduled board meeting. More detailed schedules for the forums will be released after this announcement.

Citizens are welcome to watch the forum via live stream and provide feedback after each forum. Each community forum will provide an opportunity to hear from the superintendent candidates on stakeholders’ highest importance topics. The discussions will be moderated by facilitators. The public is encouraged to submit suggested questions in advance.

Prior to the forums, several students with the PLD Lamplighter will conduct introduction interviews with each of the candidates. Once finalized, these interviews will be posted to the search site for public viewing.

The Fayette County Board of Education has provided the following resources to help the community prepare for the forums:

• The Superintendent Position Profile shaped by community input
• A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the search on fcps.net/search
• Bios of the top 3-5 candidates (posted prior to the forums) on fcps.net/search

The Fayette County Public School board plans to have the new superintendent selected and onsite for the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year.

For the latest search updates, visit the Board’s search page.