Meet the Two Finalists for JCPS Superintendent: Who Will Take the Lead?
Following two days of interviews involving six applicants, the Jefferson County Board of Education has chosen two finalists competing for the position to lead Kentucky’s biggest school district: Ben Shuldiner and H. Brian Yearwood.
Neither of the candidates has ever been employed by Jefferson County Public Schools.
Shuldiner currently holds the position of superintendent at the Lansing School District in Michigan. This district educates approximately 10,000 students, most of whom come from minority backgrounds and economically disadvantaged homes.
Begin your day with more knowledge. Receive all the essential news directly in your mailbox every morning.
According to a statement from JCPS, he boasts more than 25 years of experience reshaping education through various roles such as a teacher, principal, professor, school board member, and superintendent. The release also notes that he has increased the district’s graduation rate by 26 percent.
Furthermore, during his tenure, the district achieved Michigan’s top reading improvement scores from 2022 to 2024 as outlined in the release notes.
Shuldiner was also recently shortlisted for a superintendent role in Las Vegas. the same search firm that JCPS employed for this purpose for this superintendent search.
In February, he was among the four finalists recognized by Hazard Young Attea and Associates during the hunt for the new chief administrator of the Clark County School District, home to over 300,000 students. However, the school board in the Las Vegas area did not select him for the position.
Yearwood most recently served as the superintendent of Columbia Public Schools in Missouri, which has nearly 19,000 students. He led the district from 2021-24, when he announced he was retiring to move closer to family in Texas, according to The Columbia Daily Tribune.
Yearwood started his journey in education as a teacher but moved into administration after three years, as stated in JCPS' announcement. Additionally, he worked as an assistant superintendent at the Manor Independent School District in Texas.
Both candidates boast extensive experience and qualifications that equip them well for a leadership role like the one offered by the JCPS superintendent position," stated Board Chair Corrie Shull in the announcement. "Each individual has the potential to enhance educational outcomes within our district, guaranteeing continued success for our students and overall growth for our community.
Initially, there were 34 applicants for the position, according to Hazard Young Attea Associates.
The goal is to hire one of the candidates before Marty Pollio's last day on June 30. The pair will answer questions from community members during two separate forums on Tuesday, May 20.
Want to meet the JCPS superintendent finalists?
Two community-accessible forums are scheduled for Tuesday, May 20. The initial forum will take place at the JCPS Center for Professional Learning, located at 3903 Atkinson Square Drive, lasting from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The second forum will take place at Stopher Elementary School, located at 14417 Aiken Road, between 7-9 p.m.
Krista Johnson focuses on education and child-related topics. If you have story suggestions or inquiries, reach out to her via email at kjohnson3@gannett.com. subscribe to her newsletter .
The narrative has been refreshed to include a video clip.
The article was initially published in the Louisville Courier Journal. Who will be the new JCPS superintendent? Get to know the two final candidates.
No comments