Quincy School Board extends superintendent search

QUINCY — The Quincy School Board is extending its search for a new superintendent by two weeks. The board wants to match candidate expectations with the district’s priorities.

Board members held second-round interviews in January, then continued talks with the finalists. During those talks, School Board President Shelley Arns said finalists wanted more pay than the district had budgeted.

She said the district was ready to offer more than the roughly $200,000 paid to the previous superintendent. Even with that increase, the offer did not meet what candidates were requesting.

Quincy superintendent pay trails other districts

Arns said the board is now studying what superintendents earn in districts comparable in size to Quincy. Early comparisons show that many similar and even nearby districts are paying noticeably higher salaries than Quincy’s current range.

“We understand it’s competitive,” Arns said, adding that a larger paycheck alone does not guarantee the right fit for the job.

Data from the Large Unit District Association, which represents some of the biggest school districts in Illinois, indicate that the median superintendent salary in those districts is around $236,000.

Next steps in the search

Arns said that to attract a strong leader, the board may need to show some flexibility on pay. At the same time, she emphasized that Quincy must safeguard its long-term financial stability and work toward better overall compensation for employees across the district.

The district’s search consultant, Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, has advised reopening the application window for two more weeks to widen the pool of potential candidates. Arns said the firm will continue to assist the district until a new superintendent is in place.

The board plans to share an update on the process at its next meeting, set for Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Board Office, 1416 Maine.

Ben Cox

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Cox is a broadcast media and journalism veteran currently working as news director for WLDS/WEAI in Jacksonville, Ill. He is also chairman of the Morgan County Libertarian Party.

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