Chandler Unified School District lets public in on superintendent search after concerns raised

This week, the Chandler Unified School District provided more information about its search for a new superintendent. This comes after community members voiced concerns about decisions being made behind closed doors.

Earlier this year, Chandler’s current Superintendent Frank Narducci announced he would be retiring at the end of the school year.

At a governing board meeting on Oct. 8, several people asked the district to be more transparent as it works to find a replacement, like Chandler parent Eloyce Gillespie.

“I understand that back in September, I believe HYA was selected to be the search firm," Gillespie said. "That is in the newspaper, but as I talk to people throughout the community, they didn’t really seem to know that that had taken place.”

The board held several meetings in executive session in August to find that recruiting firm. This week, the district formally announced the search, introduced its chosen firm, provided a timeline for hiring and said the public would be able to weigh in through a community survey.

“If CUSD does not get this superintendent search right then what we’re going to do is we’re going to accelerate the decline in the district because people will not trust that our board is making the best decision for students," Gillespie said.

The board plans to gather community input throughout this fall and announce the new superintendent by February 2026.