N.D. Districts Put on Hard Sell for Superintendents

By Joanna Richardson

They might offer a car or a house as part of the deal, but North Dakota school boards are still having trouble attracting superintendents to their small-town districts.

The towns' bucolic settings and low cost of living--not to mention the good academic reputation of North Dakota's schools--apparently are not enough to keep superintendents from seeking work in neighboring states where the pay is better or there are more job opportunities for their spouses.

This year, there are 34 openings out of about 160 superintendent positions in the state, said Tom Feldner, the assistant ex~ecutive director of the North...