Local advisory board asks state to redo hiring process for Mt. Edgecumbe superintendent
Alaska — Members of Mt. Edgecumbe High School’s local advisory board are urging the state to re-open hiring for the superintendent of the state-run boarding school. In a Mar. 6 letter, the local board asked the Alaska State Board of Education and the education commissioner to immediately re-open the superintendent position. The state board is responsible for overseeing the school, and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development is charged with operating the high school.
Last year, DEED launched a superintendent hiring search after a group of Mt. Edgecumbe teachers and staff wrote a letter of no confidence in the former superintendent, who then resigned. DEED hired David Langford to serve as superintendent starting in July.
Local advisory board members said in the letter they were not consulted in DEED’s hiring process, as required by policy. “We believe the position should be filled through a thorough, equitable and transparent hiring process,” they wrote.
In the year since Langford’s hire, the school officials made significant budget and staff cuts, hired a new contractor running the student dorms, and seen a wave of student disenrollments prompting lawmakers to make an impromptu visit and spotlight maintenance needs, student services and public attention on the school.
The local board also raised concerns that Langford is superintendent of both the Chatham School District and Mt. Edgecumbe High School at the same time. That means he is directing Mt. Edgecumbe High School through a period of change and challenges, while at the same time managing the Chatham School District, which serves approximately 175 students across four Southeast Alaska communities.
“Additionally, we believe that it is imperative to assert that the Superintendent for MEHS remain a sole and dedicated role and not have shared leadership responsibilities of any other schools or districts, so that the full attention and undivided professional focus needed can be committed to this position,” the letter said.
Members of the local board did not immediately respond to an interview request on Thursday.
Sally Stockhausen, chair of the state board of education, responded to the local board in a letter on Mar. 13, and said that a new special committee created by the board will be reviewing its concerns.
Why it matters: This request highlights the importance of governance and transparency in educational leadership, especially in a state-run institution. The advisory board’s push for a more inclusive hiring process reflects broader concerns about accountability in public education.
What to watch:
- Developments from the special committee reviewing the advisory board’s concerns.
- Potential changes in the hiring policy for superintendents in state-run schools.
- Reactions from the community and stakeholders regarding the advisory board’s request.
Source credibility: Alaska Beacon is a reliable local news outlet focused on education and governance issues.
Published: March 20, 2026 1:00 AM
Source: Alaska Beacon — https://go.noligarchy.us/W9pWKW