Tulsa searches for new replacement

Monday, February 28th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- The Tulsa school board could face stiff competition in its search for a new superintendent. The Tulsa Board of Education is scouring the education profession for suitable candidates alongside San Francisco, Detroit, Plano, Texas, and Toledo, Ohio.

Education leaders across the country say searches are highly competitive as the candidate pool gets smaller and salaries larger. "It's a tough time right now," said Paul Houston, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators. "There's a shortage of people willing to do the job who have the skills to do it."

Tulsa Superintendent John Thompson is leaving for the top job in Pittsburgh. Despite the prospect of fierce competition, Tulsa officials said they believe their search will be free of political wrangling that has troubled other cities looking for new public school chief executive.

Over the past two years, searches in Kansas City, Mo., Dallas and Detroit have been divisive. Detroit attempted to hire Thompson, but the Michigan governor's special appointee to the school board rejected him.

Kansas City's search was prolonged as negotiations with two candidates broke down before Oklahoma City businessman Benjamin Demps Jr., third in line, got the job.

Tulsa officials said they believe their search will be less politicized. "I don't believe we will have a problem," said school board member Cathy Newsome. "Thompson had pretty good support of his programs from the board. That's attractive."

A Tulsa committee voted against renewing Thompson's contract over what the panel termed "divisive" actions by Thompson. The vote came after Thompson interviewed for the Detroit job in December.