The board of trustees selected JG Consulting to guide the district in the search during a special meeting Aug. 5.
How we got here
Former Superintendent Jeff Arnett announced his retirement June 16, and the board named Tom Trigg as interim superintendent July 24.
The board later submitted a request for qualifications, or RFQ, to select a firm to assist with the search process.
The options
JG Consulting was one of two search firm options selected from the RFQ.
According to president and CEO James Guerra, the firm has conducted more than 200 executive searches nationwide, which has resulted in:
- More than 60 superintendent searches across 22 states
- 68% of superintendent hires that are still in their respective roles
- An even 50% split of men and women superintendents that have been hired
The firm will also assist with community engagement efforts, which include in-person meetings and anonymous surveys. The efforts will help the firm form a leadership profile, which Guerra said is essentially the rubric for the board to refer to.
Superintendent applications wouldn't be opened until the board has a chance to critique this rubric and make edits, Guerra said.
The firm assisted Dripping Springs ISD in hiring Holly Morris-Kuentz, who has held the role since 2021, and most recently assisted Lake Travis ISD officials in hiring Curtis Null in May.
The additional search firm presented was HYA, which EISD utilized in its last two superintendent searches. The firm has completed over 1,600 superintendent searches and nationally does over 80 searches a year.
HYA representatives Jodi Duron, Sylvia Ibarra and Nola Wellman—who previously served as superintendent of EISD from 2004 to 2014—presented the board with information on the firm's search process, which included a four-phased approach.
Quote of note
"The best candidates are not necessarily looking to leave their respective roles," Guerra said. "And so where I enjoy this is, there's a competitiveness in myself and the team—seeking out candidates who are content; they're happy; they're not running from something, but rather towards something."
Next steps
According to Guerra, a potential timeline could look like:
- September-October: application portal opens, candidate screening begins, community engagement efforts begin
- October: application portal closes, candidates reviewed
- October-November: candidate interviews and final selection
- Nov. 18: lone finalist is named at board meeting
