Bridgeport Board faces criticism over superintendent search process

Former board chair calls Bridgeport superintendent search a sham

The Bridgeport Board of Education is searching for a permanent superintendent, and a former board chairman says the process was compromised before it began. In a Sept. 7 opinion piece published by CT Mirror, John Weldon, who served on the board and chaired it from 2017 to 2022, called the search a sham and questioned whether the board has already settled on interim superintendent Royce Avery.

According to Weldon, the board has operated under state oversight since November 2024, after the removal of the previous superintendent and a financial crisis that prompted the state to intervene. Deputy Superintendent Royce Avery has led the district as interim superintendent since then, Weldon wrote.

Search firm hired, interviews kept private

On Aug. 7, the district announced it had retained Zeal Education Group, a national education consulting firm, to run the search. In that announcement, Board Chair Jennifer Perez pledged a "transparent, community-informed search," and the district said the process would include public input and stakeholder engagement, with the goal of naming a new superintendent by Dec. 1, 2026, and a start date of July 1, 2027.

Weldon wrote that the board spent the better part of a year selecting a firm and that the state is paying for it.

At its most recent meeting, according to Weldon, the board announced that candidate interviews would not be conducted publicly and gave no reason. When board member Andre Woodson objected, Weldon wrote, the chair "summarily shut down" his concern. Weldon suggested the closed format is presumably meant to protect candidate confidentiality and keep outside interests from promoting particular candidates, though he noted the board offered no explanation.

Interim superintendent's raise and a social media graphic

Weldon's central complaint is that Avery has openly sought the permanent job for roughly nine months, through statements at board meetings and events he has hosted, while the board solicits community input on what it wants in a new leader. According to Weldon, the board recently approved a 10%, or $25,000, salary increase for Avery, which he reads as a sign the board is satisfied with him.

The day after the board's closed-interview announcement, Weldon wrote, a graphic with Avery's photo circulated on social media urging residents to attend community forums to "Support Dr. Avery being the next Superintendent." Weldon asked whether board members, the superintendent's office or other district staff produced it. He did not identify its source, and its origin has not been established.

Weldon, who acknowledged Avery appears to be doing a fair job running the district, argued the board should either hire Avery outright or let the search proceed without anyone promoting a candidate.

The board and the district had not publicly responded to Weldon's column as of this writing.

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