LANSING, Mich. — Seattle Public Schools has unanimously selected Ben Shuldiner as their next superintendent, choosing him from 41 applicants after board deliberations concluded Wednesday.
"We are entering a new day here at Seattle public schools," officials announced following the decision.
Board members praised Shuldiner's track record, saying "He builds trust, he solves problems and he delivers results for students."
Those results have been evident since Shuldiner began leading the Lansing School District in 2021. Under his leadership, the district saw significant improvements including a 26% increase in graduation rates, 15% improvement in attendance, and increased enrollment numbers.
"What he was doing was positive, and I gave him his props, and I told him what he was doing was good, but it needs to continue," said one community member.
We reached out to the Lansing School District's board of education, who thanked Shuldiner for his leadership and said they look forward to maintaining high educational standards as they move forward in selecting their next superintendent.
However, some Lansing parents like Melik Brown worry about the district's future without Shuldiner's continued leadership.
"If you're the one that's riding the ship, if you leave now, things are going to get lost, things will get stalled and it's not going to be good for our children and the future of our children is what's most important. I still have 3 kids in the district," Brown said.
The position comes with a significant salary increase for Shuldiner. He currently earns about $265,000 in Lansing, while the Seattle position ranges from $330,000 to $385,000.
Seattle Public School officials say they are currently in contract negotiations with Shuldiner.
"This afternoon the board entered contract negotiations with Ben and we expect him to begin in early 2026," officials said.
I have scheduled an interview with Shuldiner for next week to discuss his transition and plans for Seattle Public Schools.
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