There Are Qualifications – and a Reality

– to the Job of State Superintendent of Education

Tom Truitt

October 27, 2006

 

Watching candidates campaign for state office in South Carolina, I am reminded of the old story of the rooster who thought his crowing made the sun come up. For example, several incumbent candidates claim credit for shortening lines at the Department of Motor Vehicles when in fact they had little to do with that achievement. Candidates who aspire to hold office promise to effect changes that go beyond the responsibilities of the office they seek. Campaign ads are long on style and short on substance. Because of this media barrage of 30-second sound-bites and our failure to take an in-depth look at the issues, we run the risk of electing unqualified candidates.

 

As a retired educator, I am particularly interested in the election of a state superintendent, but I am baffled by the campaign that misleads the public regarding the role of the State Superintendent of Education.

 

School discipline is an issue in the campaign. As a former principal and district superintendent, I can tell you that the state superintendent has little to do with discipline in the schools other than to manage the reporting system. Discipline is a critical issue, but it is the responsibility of local school boards, administrators, and teachers. Local boards set the policies for discipline that are administered by school administrators and teachers. Local school boards are the final arbiters of student discipline, including which students are permanently expelled from school.

 

The duties of the State Superintendent are not as broad as one would think from observing the campaign. Because of the title, State Superintendent of Education, there is a common misconception that the State Superintendent is the supervisor or boss of district superintendents. Wrong. District superintendents are hired and supervised by local, elected boards.

 

The State Superintendent is the chief executive officer of the State Board of Education, the head of the State Department of Education, and the main spokesperson for education in South Carolina. I will not list all the duties here, but anyone interested in the complete list of duties should go to http://www.scstatehouse.net/CODE/t59c003.htm.

 

I am not saying the State Superintendent of Education is not important. It is critical, but we should understand the role and not be led off track by campaign rhetoric.

 

I am bothered by the demonizing of school administrators in the campaign. One of the candidates for State Superintendents seems to say that school administrators are the problem.

 

The district superintendent of schools is the most accountable person in the education system. He or she is hired by a local school board and works under a contract for a specified number of years. Most superintendent contracts are for three years. Unlike teachers who achieve a property interest in their job after three years, superintendents have no such security. School boards are not obligated to retain them after the end of their contract and can let them go without specifying a reason.

 

School boards, who are accountable to the voters in most districts, hire the best persons they can find to be their superintendents. These persons come into the superintendency after successful careers as teachers and principals.

 

Under the Education Accountability Act, each school district is graded each year. A system of sanctions and rewards is in place to be administered based on the performance of each district, and the person held accountable for that performance is the district superintendent. To suggest, as one recent letter to the editor writer, that district administrators are not interested in providing the best opportunities for each child is ludicrous and outrageous.

 

While the State Superintendent is not the supervisor of district superintendents, the relationship between the head state educator and the local leaders is important. A state superintendent who wishes to lead the state in new directions will have to have the cooperation and support of district superintendents. This cooperation and support will not be forthcoming if they are treated as obstacles rather than partners in the educational process.

 

While the State Superintendent of Education may be viewed as the head educator in South Carolina, there is no requirement that the person be an educator or know anything about education. Teachers, principals, superintendents and other certified educators are required to have specific training and to keep that training current. There is no such requirement for the State Superintendent of Education. Anyone can run for the position, but if we want an effective State Superintendent, voters must attend to the qualifications of the candidates and ignore the misleading promises of campaign rhetoric.

 

 

Tom Truitt is a life-long educator.  This article is presented here with his permission.