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Seattle Public Schools superintendent finalist, Ben Shuldiner. Photo: courtesy Seattle School Board
On Wednesday, the Seattle School Board named Ben Shuldiner as its finalist for the next superintendent of Seattle Public Schools. The board will now enter contract negotiations, and once a final agreement, including a start date, is reached, members will vote again to confirm the hire.
Shuldiner brings more than 25 years of experience in education leadership. He is currently superintendent of the Lansing School District in Michigan. Earlier in his career, in 2003, he founded and led the High School for Public Service in Brooklyn, New York, earning national recognition for its focus on community service and student empowerment.
He later became the Distinguished Lecturer of Education Leadership at Hunter College (CUNY), where he directed programs for aspiring school and district leaders. Shuldiner has also served on the New York City Board of Education and as president of the New York City High School Principals Association.
“Today I can say I’d like to believe I’ve found my permanent home,” Shuldiner says. “The idea that I can come here and shepherd a new beginning for this district is beyond words.
“I believe our goal today is to make Seattle the single greatest urban school district in America, and we should ask nothing less of ourselves.”
“We believe Ben reflects the hopes, values and purpose of our SPS community,” says school board president Gina Topp in a district press release. “Ben has a strong record of delivering results, extensive financial and operational experience, and a commitment to lifting every student and school in our system.”
The announcement caps a confidential, months-long selection process that allowed sitting superintendents, including Shuldiner, to participate privately.
Why this matters
With nearly 49,000 students and an annual budget exceeding $1.8 billion, Seattle Public Schools is Washington’s largest district and one of its most complex. The district faces declining enrollment, budget shortfalls and growing calls for transparency and equity. The board’s leadership profile, developed to inform the superintendent search, emphasized finding an equity-driven, results-oriented communicator with strong operational and financial experience — qualities board members say Shuldiner exemplifies.
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