Newly hired Columbia Public Schools superintendent Jeff Klein ready for challenge
- Jeff Klein, current chief academic officer, will begin his term as Columbia Public Schools superintendent in July.
- Klein faces challenges including potential charter schools and federal scrutiny of diversity programs.
- He emphasized the importance of creating a welcoming environment for all students and staff.
- Klein plans to prioritize student attendance and be visible in schools.
Jeff Klein begins his tenure as Columbia Public Schools superintendent in July, facing challenges from the federal Department of Education and the potential for charter schools in Boone County.
Inside hire
When the Columbia Board of Education hired Klein, it hired from inside. But Klein is a recent insider. He began his job as chief academic officer in July 2024 and it will have taken him just a year to move up to superintendent.
Klein is ready to get started in the new role, he said in a recent conversation in the district administration building.
“It's the right fit for me right now, in the right place,” Klein said. “And I'm honored and humbled by the opportunity. And I'm grateful, and I continue to learn to be more grateful about this as I as the transition has continued. “What I'm grateful for is we have really good staff, great leaders in our schools, who really care. They want to grow. They want to continue to get even better. They're here for the right reasons.”
The position became vacant when the previous superintendent, Brian Yearwood, retired before the end of his contract. The school board paid Yearwood more than $667,000 when he left. Yearwood has since applied as superintendent in other school districts.
Chris Belcher, a former CPS superintendent, is serving as interim superintendent until Klein’s contract begins.
Klein worked with Belcher before, when Belcher was superintendent in Kearney.
“I can't say enough about my appreciation for Dr. Belcher's willingness to step in when the district needed an interim superintendent and for him to come in and give 120%,” Klein said.
Superintendent role brings added scrutiny
Klein has more than two decades experience in education and he previously had a leadership position in the Park Hill School District in Kansas City. He began his education career as a school psychologist and special education teacher. In a recent conversation in the district administration building, Klein explained his responsibilities as chief academic officer.
“I've been responsible for the curriculum, instruction and assessment programs for the school district,” Klein said of his current role. “Essentially ensuring that our students are being taught what we intend for them be taught and that they're learning and developing the skills and knowledge and the standards of our district curriculum and the state standards.”
In his current position and in Park Hill, Klein has made public presentations and school board meetings and other public situations, but he acknowledged being superintendent brings more scrutiny.
As it should, he said.
“I'm comfortable and ready for the scrutiny that comes with the role. I understand the importance of that scrutiny, and I respect it,” Klein said. “So I don't even look at it as something to choose whether or not that I do or don't like. I think it is an important part of being in a public role of leadership is to have the public, the community and the staff, have scrutiny over public leadership and the direction that we\'re going as a district and how I'm leading. So I respect that."
Challenges from feds, state
CPS has prided itself on longtime equity training for teachers and administrators. The U.S. Department of Education has threatened to withhold federal funding for districts with diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Klein didn’t answer directly when asked what action CPS would take, but said the district will seek guidance and make adjustments where needed.
“I think it's important to note that by nature, we are and will continue to be committed to being a welcoming environment for all students, for all parents, for all staff.
“And to the degree that we find that at any point in time we're not that, we'll take the action needed to correct that. That's really important. We will continue to look at student performance, student outcomes, and look and see how different groups of students are doing and where we might be as a school district and as a community not fully meeting the needs of all of our students. So that that work will continue.”
The district must follow the guidance of the administration, he said.
“You know, we've been given directive from the executive branch to not use race and other demographic factors as a part of the criteria for decision making for programs, and so we've taken a look at our programs, and we intend to to comply with that directive,” Klein said. “But we don't believe that that that directive precludes us from doing the work of creating welcoming, inclusive schools for every single one of our students.”
The district may also have to contend with one or more charter schools in the next few years. A new state law allows charter schools in Boone County.
Charter schools can dilute the support and resources of public schools, Klein said.
CPS must continue to create engaging environments that attract and interest students and families, he said.
'Every day matters'
Klein arrived in the district as it saw a dramatic improvement in its state annual performance report, to 86.5% of all points. Those efforts will continue, Klein said.
A big focus will continue to be on improving student attendance.
“Every day matters,” Klein said. “Every day contributes to the opportunity to learn, grow and develop and be ready for the next grade, the next transition.”
Expect to see Klein in district school buildings when the school year starts on Aug. 19.
"I'll be out in schools. I can assure you that,” Klein said. “It’s one of the things that the community said it wanted as part of the hiring process. One of the things I've heard as I've talked to people is they're interested in the superintendent being visible and open. And I have tried to do that already. It’s my intention to continue to do that and there's no better day to do that than the first day of school.”