Eight years after Escambia County voters narrowly changed how the school superintendent is selected, the question is back on the ballot.
On Aug. 18, voters will decide whether to keep the current system, where the School Board appoints the superintendent, or return to electing the district’s top education leader.
If voters choose “Yes,” Escambia County would return to electing its superintendent beginning with the 2028 election. A “No” vote would keep the current system, where the School Board hires the superintendent.
The issue may sound familiar.
In 2018, Escambia voters approved switching to an appointed superintendent by just 910 votes. The new system took effect in 2020.
After a nationwide search, the School Board hired Tim Smith as superintendent. Three years later, the board voted 3-2 to fire him. Current Superintendent Keith Leonard was appointed shortly afterward.
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The district also drew national attention over challenges to library books and the removal of some titles from school shelves. It later approved changes in Warrington.
Supporters of the appointed system say those events demonstrate why the School Board should be able to hire and, if necessary, remove the superintendent.
Caren Payne said the referendum is about the structure of the office, not the person currently serving in it. She’s on the board of directors for the League of Women Voters Pensacola Bay Area.
“The superintendent’s job is to run the daily operations of the school district and implement the policies set by the elected School Board,” Payne said. “That is a management position, not a policy position.”
She said voters already choose the people responsible for setting school policy by electing five School Board members. “The appointed system keeps that accountability in place while ensuring the person running district operations is selected for qualifications rather than campaign skill,” she said.
Payne also said the current system allows the School Board to recruit candidates from across the country and require specific education and experience.
“The superintendent’s dismissal is the clearest example,” she said. “The School Board terminated an appointed superintendent with three votes when it determined a change was needed. That is local accountability working exactly as designed.”
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Supporters of an elected superintendent see it differently.
District 5 School Board member Tom Harrell spent nearly four decades in education before joining the School Board in 2024. He campaigned on returning to an elected superintendent.
“Never give up your right to vote for your public officials,” Harrell said.
He said voters have now had several years to compare the two systems. “The voters have had a chance to see the difference between bringing an outsider in and having a local person run our school district.”
Harrell said local experience is one of the strongest arguments for electing the superintendent. “An elected superintendent is a local person who will answer directly to the voters on election day,” he said. “They already know the community.”
While supporters of the appointed system point to the district’s first-ever “A” school grade this year, Harrell said the current superintendent’s success reflects his deep roots in Escambia County.
“Our current superintendent is a product of our school district and knew every aspect of the system when he took over,” Harrell said. “Anyone from the outside will take at least two years to learn the system and community. The elected superintendent answers to the people. I believe in local control, and it is always best to let the people decide.”
Others disagree.
Pensacola businessman and philanthropist Quint Studer recently wrote that “Politics do not belong in the school district.” He argued an appointed superintendent allows the School Board to conduct a nationwide search for the most qualified candidate.
The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce has also reaffirmed its support for keeping the appointed system.
In a statement, Chamber Board Chair Ildi Hosman said, “We believe that an appointed superintendent model best serves the students, families, and employers of Escambia County, and we encourage the business community and all eligible voters to consider the long-term implications of this decision for our region’s future.”
Regardless of which side voters support, Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender said he hopes more people participate than they did in the last primary.
“We had 75% of our voters not show up for the August 2024 primary,” Bender said. “So my goal this year is to increase that turnout. Every voter in Escambia County will have something to vote on, whether it be the referendum or a school board race or something for their party. So I encourage everyone to come out and make sure their voice is heard through the act of voting.”
The school superintendent referendum will appear on every Escambia County ballot for the Aug. 18 primary, regardless of party affiliation.
