Special Meeting of the Bridgeport Board of Education Mon 10/19/2026

At its special meeting on October 19, 2026, the Bridgeport Board of Education considered a leadership profile prepared by ZEAL Education Group for the district’s superintendent search. The consultant summarized stakeholder input from in-person and virtual sessions and an online survey, highlighting district strengths and priorities including instructional quality, communication, financial stewardship, trust, student well-being, and support for multilingual learners and students with disabilities. Board members discussed whether the profile’s presentation was overly negative, how to clarify the state’s role, desired leadership qualifications, and the need to communicate salary expectations. No contract award, spending amount, or salary decision was made.

The Board approved the leadership profile by motion and vote, making it a tool for recruiting and evaluating candidates. The proposed search schedule includes opening applications in early November, a January 1 deadline, a candidate slate presentation on January 11, semifinal interviews on January 20, finalist interviews on January 27, and a target appointment date of February 8, with the new superintendent expected to start July 1, 2027. The Board and the state commissioner will conduct the interviews and selection in a closed search; the consultant recommended that the Board consider publishing a minimum salary figure, but that question remained unresolved.