The Crowley ISD Board of Trustees has named Dr. Michael D. McFarland as the lone finalist for superintendent. After conducting a nationwide search, the Board voted unanimously to approve his selection in a meeting on Thursday, August 10, 2017. By state law, the Board must wait 21 days before offering Dr. McFarland a contract for employment.

 

Dr. McFarland is currently the superintendent of Lancaster ISD where he has successfully served in that role since 2010. Prior to working in Lancaster, Dr. McFarland was assistant superintendent of achievement for Champaign public schools in Illinois. He has also been a high school and middle school principal in Tyler ISD and Longview ISD and began his education career as an algebra, accounting and computer science teacher.

 

“Dr. McFarland is a transformational leader focused on student achievement,” Board President June W. Davis said. “His success as an innovative and visionary superintendent serving a diverse North Texas school district is exactly what our Board and stakeholders were looking for in our next leader.”

 

Dr. McFarland has been recognized at the national and state level for his outstanding leadership as a school superintendent. He was selected as the American Association of School Administrators National Superintendent of the Year Nominee from Texas in 2015 and he was also selected as the National Alliance for Black School Educator’s Superintendent of the Year in 2014. In addition, the Texas Association of School Administrators selected Dr. McFarland as one of the top five superintendents in the state and the Texas Association of School Boards selected him as a State Finalist for the Texas Superintendent of the Year and as Region 10 Superintendent of the Year.

 

“I am honored to be named lone finalist for superintendent in this incredible school district,” Dr. McFarland said. “Crowley ISD is known for creating opportunities for success for all students, and I look forward to working with the Crowley ISD Board of Trustees, the educators and the entire community to build on the tradition of success and to ensure that we provide excellence in every school, in every classroom, for every student, every day.”

 

 

Originally from Jasper, Texas, Dr. McFarland has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Education from Baylor University, his Master of Education in Educational Administration and Superintendent Certification from Stephen F. Austin University and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Administration from Baylor University.

 

He is married to Cynthia McFarland and has two daughters, Kharis and Michiah, and two sons, Tyler and Jarrett.

 

Working with the Hazard, Young and Attea (HYA) search firm, the Board screened 60 applicants from across the country and narrowed the pool to interview six candidates. Three semi-finalists were then interviewed by the Board. State law requires that the Board name a lone finalist and then wait a state-mandated 21 days before offering a candidate a contract.

 

Dr. Patricia A. Linares has served as interim superintendent since March 2017. She will continue to work in an interim role until the permanent superintendent begins work in Crowley. She will then assist the permanent superintendent during the transition.

 

“We truly thank Dr. Linares for stepping in to serve our district during this crucial time,” Davis said. “Her leadership and expertise has brought improvements to our schools and our systems and has helped make it possible for us to find the right person to become the next permanent superintendent of Crowley ISD.”