LANSING, Mich — Lansing School District Superintendent Ben Shuldiner is preparing to leave his position after being selected as the lone finalist for a superintendent role with Seattle Public Schools.
"I was never looking to leave - but again the head hunters called," Shuldiner said.
This marks the third time within a year that Shuldiner has been tapped as a finalist for a superintendent position outside of Lansing. He has served the district since 2021, during which time he has helped raise the graduation rate by 26%, improve attendance by 15%, launch universal pre-K and improve reading scores.
"In the three years before I became superintendent the reading growth scores were the lowest in the state… but from 2022, to 2024 - our reading growth scores were the highest in the entire state," Shuldiner said.
His success has not gone unnoticed by parents, some of whom have expressed concerns about his departure.
"If you're the one that's riding the ship, if you leave now, things are going to get lost, they're going to get stalled and its not going to be good for our children… and what's most important are our children," one parent said.
While Shuldiner acknowledges these concerns, he believes the Lansing Board of Education will select a qualified replacement to continue the district's progress.
"It's going to only get better from here… The board is going to do a smooth transition. That's why I am staying for the next 3 months. The start date that I am looking at is end of January, start of February, just so I could make sure the hand off is smooth and the transition is seamless," Shuldiner said.
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