Is there a doctorate in the house?

Mike Grego's departure from the Hillsborough school system leaves a void at the top, and we're not talking about a decision to freeze his assistant superintendent's job in tough budget times. Superintendent MaryEllen Elia wasted no time in promoting Wynne Tye, formerly general director of ESE services, to the position.

What we've noticed is that Grego was the last person in Elia's senior leadership team to hold a doctorate in education. Now the nation's eighth-largest school system is run by folks with loads of experience, but none in the superintendent's cabinet has that degree in hand.

Of course, holding an Ed.D. is not the be all-end all. Heck, you might even argue that the value of some education leaders' doctorates, received from correspondence programs, aren't worth all that much anyway. Experience counts as much, if not more, right? Heck, we've seen military guys run school districts with varying levels of success.

Still, you have to acknowledge that when school boards are looking for top administrators, the job descriptions usually say a doctorate would at least be preferred, if not required. Maybe you can shed some light on the importance of the degree?

Comments

[jwt]

Oh, great! Tye's gone completely over to the dark side--and she used to be a great teacher!

[HSteacher]

We do NOT want this woman any closer to the top!!!! When teachers complained of their ESE concerns--teaching AND paperwork AND compliance--she told those teachers "put on your big girl panties and just do your job --or there's the door".Just what we need.

[Jim]

Once again, the School Board sits around and watches Elia toss money down the drain. We could have hired three more teachers.

[nodoctoratehereinpascoeither]

Pasco's superintendent doesn't even have a master's degree. We still have an elected superintendent and you need only be a resident and 18 years of age..how's that for a high standard?

She doesn't have an administrator's certification either.

Best route to take when you don't have credentials, come to Pasco and be a superintendent, as long as you have a pulse and a social security number.

Pasco's superintendent route to office : elementary classroom teacher......legislator.....
.....superintendent....

all with just a bachelor's degree.....

[Brian]

* possibly

(groan)

[Brian]

But...but...Elia can't possible have anyone around more qualified than she is. What would that do to her ego?

[LA]

I think I would forgo the PHd (piled high and deep) for an experienced leader and educator not afraid to make changes or shake things up.

I am reminded of a definition of Ph.D. articulated by a highly respected educator..."Piled higher and deeper". Common sense goes a lot further and is a key ingredient that seems to be a missing ingredient in today's educational systems in general and Florida's in particluar.