Listen in as two successful superintendents discuss an under-the-radar trend in school district hiring practices – the bold move to fill high-level central office positions with leaders from the charter sector. Between them, Denver Public Schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg and retiring Spring Branch Independent School District Superintendent Duncan Klussmann have pushed the thinking around how school districts and charter schools can work together for the benefit of all students. Within the last few years, both of these leaders have pulled promising talent directly out of local charter organizations and put them to work in their districts. They have asked these “boundary spanners” to help not only coordinate collaborative efforts with the charter school sector, but to also help the district reimagine how it could improve how it manages schools.
Senior Research Analyst Sarah Yatsko, who leads CRPE’s work on district-charter collaboration, interviews the superintendents. Both men speak candidly about the challenges and benefits of what would be seen as a highly controversial hiring practice in most cities. They conclude with advice for those who may be curious about how a district can find common ground and successfully engage with the charter sector.
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