The Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) unanimously approved Dr. Marc Smith as the lone finalist for the district’s search for a new superintendent.
Smith’s appointment was the result of a unanimous 7-0 vote from the trustees.
“Dr. Smith is a familiar face in our district and community,” FBISD Board President Judy Dae said. “He is known around the state as a strategic leader with a heart for people, and the FBISD Board of Trustees believes his reputation of building unity with a relentless focus on student success makes him the ideal leader for our district.”
Smith is replacing former superintendent Dr. Christie Whitbeck, who will remain with the district until June 30 to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. The announcement comes a fortnight after Whitbeck retired amid speculation of being asked to step down.
As a part of her voluntary retirement agreement that was approved earlier in December, she will be receiving around $352,024. Whitbeck joined the district in October 2021. The district did not give a reason for her decision to step down. The school board approved her early retirement a few months after awarding her a 2% raise and extending her contract to December 2026.
Who is Dr. Marc Smith?
Smith spent a month over six years at FBISD before his appointment and served in various roles, including as its assistant superintendent from 2007 to 2012 and its executive principal from 2006-2007.
“The opportunity to return to FBISD feels like a homecoming,” Smith said. “I am honored to rejoin the district and community as your superintendent and look forward to reconnecting with the people and traditions that have always inspired me.”
Smith has more than three decades of experience in the field of education, having started his career as a teacher. He was the previous superintendent at Duncanville ISD. Before that, he held the same position for Marshall ISD. Before joining FBISD in 2006, he was a principal at a school in Harris County’s Klein ISD for four years (2002-2006).
“Fort Bend is known for having outstanding teachers, and I’m ready to meet them and partner with them to see all the great things that they’re doing and just to embrace the challenges that we know are out there,” Smith said during the meeting. “I’m glad to be back home, and I know that I’m in the right place. So thank you for your trust and faith and confidence.”
Smith received his doctorate degree in administration and supervision from the University of Houston and a master’s degree in administration and supervision from Prairie View A&M University. He pursued an undergraduate degree in human performance from Texas Southern University and also completed the Urban Superintendent Academy at Harvard University.
According to the district, Texas state law requires school districts to implement a 21-day waiting period before an official contract is offered, and thus, Smith is scheduled to sign his contract on Jan. 8, 2024.
What unfolded before the special meeting
The Fort Bend Star reported that prior to Smith’s appointment, tension was brewing in light of Whitbeck’s departure after two years of her joining the district, a year earlier than the date on her contract and two years ahead of the amended contract terms that were approved in July. Her defender Kristen Davis Malone, a Position 6 member, said she was excluded from the selection process of Whitbeck’s sole successor finalist.
Malone added she believes the board used the contract stipulation as a way to coerce Whitbeck into resigning. During the special board meeting that approved Smith as a finalist, Malone also repeatedly asked about the process behind his selection. The board said the discussions happened in “closed sessions” and did not answer her question. She added that she found herself in a “predicament” about the way the selection of Smith was made.
“This is a crucial decision for over 80,000 kids and 12,000 employees. I stand before you with a sense of responsibility and duty and a heavy, heavy heart,” she said during the meeting. “I believe in the democratic process, transparency, and access to information. I do not appreciate how this board has handled this situation.”
Board president Judy Dae replied, saying that Malone had the chance to participate in the closed executive sessions but had chosen not to, which Malone said was “a hostile environment” for her.
Malone also said that having asked Smith for his resume, asking him questions about community engagement, special education, his vision and academics made her believe he is a “fine gentleman.”
“I will stand behind you, I will support you,” she added, and that regardless of how he got here, she has placed her faith in God to know he will be the “perfect person for this job” and will “lead our district forward.”
