Seattle School Board moves 2 unnamed finalists forward in superintendent search

The Seattle School Board has chosen two finalists in its search for the district’s next superintendent — but won’t be naming them publicly.

During a 10-minute meeting on Wednesday, the board voted unanimously to move the two applicants — referred to only as candidates 7 and 8 — forward to the final stage of the hiring process.

Board President Gina Topp said their identities will remain confidential through the remainder of the process. She said all the candidates “currently hold leadership positions” and a closed search ensures a “fair and professional process that protects both the candidates and their current districts.”

“I think that decision [to have a closed search] allowed us to attract a strong pool of applicants, including sitting superintendents and other exceptional leaders who may not have applied in the open process,” Topp said Wednesday. “And, it’s assured we can do the very best we can for Seattle.”

This is the Seattle Public Schools’ fourth superintendent search since 2014.

The board’s hunt for the district’s next leader began in March, when former Superintendent Brent Jones announced he would be stepping down in September. He went on medical leave in May and remained on leave through the remainder of his tenure.

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The Seattle superintendent job drew over 40 applicants, Topp said. The board narrowed that initial slate down to eight candidates, who the board interviewed over the course of two days.

“We had deep and meaningful conversations about leadership, alignment to the leadership profile report, and what kind of superintendent would serve best,” she said. “I was impressed by the caliber of every candidate — their experience, their readiness to serve, their commitment to students.”

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In the next step of the superintendent search, Topp said the board and its search firm, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, will conduct reference and background checks, continue to review candidates’ leadership records, and hold final interviews.

Each finalist will also present a 100-day plan to the board — behind closed doors in executive session — “so we can see how each candidate would approach the work from day one and how they set priorities right out of the gate,” Topp said.

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The latest timeline for the search called for the board to select the next leader of Washington’s largest public school district by the end of October. But it’s unclear if that will happen because the board was supposed to conduct final interviews on Oct. 9-10 under that timeline.

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Fred Podesta, the district’s chief operations officer of more than five years, was tapped as the district’s interim superintendent in June. He’ll remain in the position until the next superintendent is appointed or June 30, 2026 — whichever comes first.