The Special Administrative Board of St. Louis Public Schools has selected a firm to head the search for district superintendent. At its regular board meeting Thursday night, the SAB approved the hiring of ProAct Search Inc., a Milwaukee-based company.

Back in February, the Special Administrative Board announced that it would conduct a search for a new superintendent of schools. The current superintendent, Diana Bourisaw, said she would not re-apply for her position, but will continue in her job during the search process.

State Senator Maida Coleman was not happy when she heard that St. Louis Public Schools was about to start looking for its seventh superintendent in five years.

“I believe the [Special Administrative Board] just put the final nail in the coffin of the St. Louis Public School district,” said the St. Louis Democrat. She also hinted that this new instability may be intentional.

“It may be by design in an effort to continue the attack on the public school system in St. Louis in favor of marginally efficient and questionable outcomes of charter schools,” said Coleman.

The district’s governor-appointed CEO, Rick Sullivan, said the move was not about the record of Superintendent Diana Bourisaw, who was quickly appointed in July 2006 following the sudden firing of Superintendent Creg Williams, but rather about getting in place a superintendent that can meet the long-term needs of the district.

“I don’t know if they have a favored candidate waiting in the wings to take over our city’s school system,” said Coleman, “but this decision flies in the face of assurances we had received recently that Superintendent Bourisaw would continue to serve as the leader of our school district.”

Coleman defended Bourisaw as having proven herself to be an effective leader “who cares about our students.”

“I have little confidence that the governor’s handpicked henchman will do the right thing for our students when he chooses a new superintendent,” said the senator.

Coleman also noted the timing of Bourisaw’s firing, less than a week after the Senate confirmed Sullivan’s appointment to the SAB.

“The assurances of CEO Rick Sullivan meant nothing as he completely misled his Senate sponsor, Joan Bray of St. Louis,” Coleman said.

In response to SAB’s action, Coleman has filed legislation to dissolve the Board and return local control of the St. Louis Public Schools. Senate Bill 1129 simply repeals the statute which created the transitional school district.