State law requires school districts to adhere to a 21-day waiting period before an employment contract is offered, making Jan. 8, 2024, his first day in the position.
About the candidate
Smith, a career educator and administrator, has served in public schools for 30 years, including the last seven years as superintendent for Duncanville ISD and four in Marshall ISD, according to the FBISD news release.
In 2020, he was selected as the Region 10 Superintendent of the Year for his work in Duncanville ISD, per the release.
Smith served in FBISD for six years as an executive principal and assistant superintendent from 2006-12 before moving on to superintendent positions in Marshall and Duncanville.
What they are saying
“We are excited to announce that Dr. Marc Smith has been named as Fort Bend ISD’s lone finalist for superintendent of schools," FBISD board President Judy Dae said in the release. "He is known around the state as a strategic leader with a heart for people, and the FBISD board of trustees believes his reputation of building unity with a relentless focus on student success makes him the ideal leader for our district."
Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Houston in administration and supervision as well as a master’s from Prairie View A&M University in administration and supervision. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Texas Southern University in human performance, according to the release.
“The opportunity to return to Fort Bend ISD feels like a homecoming,” Smith said in the FBISD statement. “I am honored to rejoin the district and community as your superintendent, and look forward to reconnecting with the people and traditions that have always inspired me.”
What else
Trustee Kristen Malone, a vocal supporter of Whitbeck, expressed displeasure during the meeting with the way Smith was selected and said she was not given any information about Smith or able to interview him until shortly before the Dec. 15 meeting in which the selection was announced.
“It made it extraordinarily difficult to be prepared and to make any decision without having that information prior to this morning. I found myself in a predicament because I think informed decisions are imperative to our roles as trustees,” Malone said in the livestreamed meeting Dec. 15. “I do not appreciate how this board has handled this situation. ... I had been asking for the resume; I had been asking about interviews, and I had not been privy to that information.”
Despite this, Malone voted with the other six trustees to approve the selection.
FBISD posted the superintendent job to the district website shortly after Whitbeck announced she was vacating the superintendent position in a letter to the public on Dec. 1.
