Here's what the TUSD Governing Board is looking for in its next leader

Tucson’s largest school district is officially setting out on a search for a new leader.

The governing board gave Nicholas Clement of the Arizona School Boards Association the green light Tuesday night at a board meeting to put the call out for candidates by next week.

A successful candidate will be “highly visible, collaborative in leadership as evidenced by involvement in the community schools and district worksites,” a draft of the posting said. “The new leader should have the ability to build strong, cooperative relationships with all stakeholders in the school system.”

The new superintendent will be paid a base salary of between $180,000 and $230,000 to oversee more than 47,000 students in 89 schools and programs.

“We need to stay competitive even with neighboring districts,” Adelita Grijalva, a board member, said. That range is comparable to other superintendents in similar-size districts in the Phoenix area, Clement told board members at the meeting.

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Board member Rachael Sedgwick said she’d hoped to cap the salary at $180,000, especially because of the state’s constrained budget for education.

Three months ago, the former TUSD chief resigned after some board members dissatisfied with his performance sought to remove him in a weeks-long effort. He was paid a base salary of $270,000.

The board struggled for a month to hire an interim with a top candidate pulling out last minute. On March 28, it named Gabriel Trujillo, an assistant superintendent with the district, as the interim.

According to a tentative timeline for the search, which the board also approved Tuesday night, TUSD is hoping to screen applicants and identify who will be reviewed by the board in July. Finalists are scheduled to be announced on Aug. 8, but that’s subject to change.

An 11-member committee will be formed to screen the candidates. It will be tasked with identifying top candidates to be forwarded to the governing board. Clement, the consultant, recommended that teachers, principals, parents, business owners, support staff and foundation members be included in that committee.