Idaho has at least 11 superintendent openings, including one at the biggest district in the state.

Earlier this month, West Ada Superintendent Mary Ann Ranells announced that the 2020-2021 school year would be her last. Ranells has held her position at West Ada since 2016.

Also open in the state are superintendent positions at Middleton, Buhl, Blaine County, Vallivue, Coeur d’Alene, Highland Joint, Oneida, Salmon, Idaho Falls and Clark County.

Idaho School Boards Association is helping with the superintendent searches for Oneida, Buhl, Idaho Falls and Middleton, Chief Deputy Misty Swanson said.

Swanson said having 11 openings in mid-January is an uncommonly high number. Last year, ISBA helped with 15 superintendent searches in total (which doesn’t include all vacancies in the state).

“To have that many in January, that’s a lot early,” Swanson said.

The opening at Coeur d’Alene was announced on Tuesday, as Steven Cook was given the job of superintendent at Bend-La Pine School District in Oregon. Cook has been at Coeur d’Alene for three years, and was previously the deputy superintendent at Douglas County School District in Denver, Colo.

Blaine County School District is currently in the process of filling its position. One of two finalists for the job is McCall-Donnelly Superintendent James Foudy.

EdNews keeps track of how much Idaho’s superintendents are paid, as well as the pay of charter school administrators.

In Middleton, interim superintendent Kristin Beck will return to her position as assistant superintendent of Human Resources now that her one-year contract is about to expire, said district spokesperson Vickie Holbrook. 

Beck was appointed to interim after Sherawn Reberry resigned last summer. Reberry and Beck both lead the district for less than a year.

Middleton will use the Idaho School Boards Association to help with a superintendent’s search. Middleton previously used the ISBA service to hire Reberry. 

Middleton board member Aleisha McConkie pushed for using ISBA to move the process along more quickly. With so many district leadership positions opening up throughout the Treasure Valley, she said she is worried Middleton could fall behind and be left with lower quality candidates after the other districts have hired superintendents. 

ISBA charges $3,500 to market the position or for $8,500 ISBA staff will conduct interviews, reference checks and select finalists. 

Rachel Spacek contributed to this story.