Cambridge MA School Committee Hires Consultants To Screen Superintendent Candidates

Cambridge MA School Committee, July 2015

Is this how democracy works? Voters elect school committee members to hire school superintendents, and to make policy. School committee hires consultants to screen candidates to implement policy. Are consultants like political parties who provide candidates for voters? If taxpayer funds spent on consultants were instead used to house persons without homes, or to create affordable housing would the quality of life improve in the city? 

[From article]
In Phase 1, the School Committee will meet with Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates — the firm hired to help conduct the search — to review the top 12-15 resumes received. The board will vet the resumes and submit the top seven to nine candidate resumes to the Interview Committee, which will be made up of community stakeholders.
The 15-member Interview Committee will be formed during Phase 2, and will include three educational representatives; three citywide parent representatives; two nonprofit community partner representatives; two higher education representatives; two business-related representatives; one cabinet representative; a city manager designee; and someone with a strong background in diversity/affirmative action, according to Alanna Mallon, education liaison for the Office of Mayor David Maher.
“The School Committee members will not be part of this initial Interview Committee, although they may observe the process,” Mallon said, adding that the board would issue a press release in the near future requesting letters of intent from community members who wish to join the Interview Committee.
The Interview Committee will meet with applicants and forward the top five candidates to the School Committee as semi-finalists. The School committee will interview semi-finalists and choose three finalists during Phase 3.

http://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/article/20150715/NEWS/150718051

Cambridge's superintendent search moves to interview phase
By Sara Feijo
sfeijo (at) wickedlocal.com
Posted Jul. 15, 2015 at 1:38 PM
CAMBRIDGE Chronicle