Choosing a new superintendent is probably the most important decision facing any Board of Education. The recruitment and selection process takes time, energy and expertise.

The Yakima School District is now taking its search for a new superintendent to the next level.

Eric Silvers, a concerned parent, says "Everyone needs to take ownership into this because this is our school district. This is Yakima school district and we all have to take ownership."

The Yakima School District Board is hoping more people will jump onboard in their search to replace current Superintendent Ben Soria. They began with community focus groups.

Vickie Ybarra, School Board President, says "We'll also ask for specific community involvement in an inter-advisory committee that we'll be forming in the next month or so."

That committee will be made up of several dozen people, half of whom will be parents and the rest other members of the community. They'll sit through the entire interview process and give their feedback on each candidate.

Melissa Wagner says, "Character. It's what the district boasts in a brochure about the search. They say it's ‘who you are’. So, what kind of person are they looking for in the next superintendent? It would be someone who will take care of McKinley Elementary and the other schools in the district."

Vickie Ybarra continues, "As board members it's a good idea to know what we want our next superintendent to accomplish."

And determining that could prove to be challenging. The first thing the new superintendent will have to tackle is a new teacher contract. The current one expires at the end of this school year. The governor is proposing major budget cuts that will slash the district's funding by millions.

And there’s no bonus for improving the district's scores. "This board has looked at bonuses, we are not considering it for this incoming superintendent," Ybarra adds.

The proposed salary for the new superintendent is 170 to 180 thousand dollars. That sounds like a lot, but it's about 40 thousand dollars less than what Superintendent Ben Soria makes today. The school board says these are challenges any superintendent can meet. The deadline to apply for the superintendent job is the end of January. The District will begin interviewing candidates by the middle of January and hopes to have a new superintendent on the job by July 1rst.