Mary Outley’s first midyear evaluation runs 26 pages, full of notes about her efforts to improve communication, management and learning as superintendent of Akron Public Schools.
It’s a far cry from the 517-word, three-page evaluation her predecessor received after a year on the job. Then-School Board President Diana Autry said the short evaluation of Michael Robinson was meant to avoid a “spectacle” after the publication of the Akron Board of Education’s scathing 26-page review of the prior superintendent, Christine Fowler Mack, put her in a tenuous position and ultimately led her to leave the district.
This evaluation will not be part of Outley’s record but instead serves as an opportunity for elected officials to share their priorities for her role and for Outley to discuss her leadership style.
Since Outley was named superintendent last April without a formal interview, it’s the first time she and the board have been able to discuss their expectations, said Barbara Sykes, the current school board president.
“None of us really interviewed the superintendent for the job, so we never had the opportunity,” Sykes said. “It’s a chance for her to hear from us.”
Outley’s review and that of the treasurer, Wayne Bowers, will be completed in June. But the midyear conversation gave both leaders an opportunity to tell board members about their own priorities while ensuring they understood what they are expected to do.
The process was led by Steve Farnsworth, a consultant with Leadership and Learning LLC and himself a superintendent for 26 years across four school districts. Farnsworth charged the district $6,000 to facilitate the conversations, writing the Akron Board of Education comments on the superintendent and treasurer’s evaluations based on the discussions that took place.
“It works well to hold the administration accountable and to build camaraderie and a sense of a team,” Farnsworth said of his method. “It creates a great conversation.”
The discussion with Outley took place over two days, Sykes said, while Bowers’ was much quicker. Bowers was named treasurer in October; Outley took on the superintendent’s role last April.
In their midyear evaluations, the board said they were happy with both individuals and with their working relationship.
Mary Outley’s midyear evaluation: ‘Her love for the community and school district is apparent’
Outley “has demonstrated satisfactory job performance” on each of the standards she was being evaluated against, her evaluation said, saying she is “poised to confront existing challenges” despite her short time on the job.
“The Board is pleased with her work ethic and the clear promise of a new beginning in the district,” the evaluation said.
It added, “Her love for the community and school district is apparent to all who work with her.”
Outley’s evaluation hinges on her vision; communication and collaboration; policies and governance; instruction; and how she uses her resources. Goals include increasing third-grade literacy by 4%, cutting $11 million from the budget and monitoring the district’s construction projects.
Outley did not return a phone call Tuesday seeking comment about her midyear evaluation, but in comments in the report, she showed her effort to regularly send updates to board members (in so much detail that one suggestion was that she provide a “more concise summary”). She also laid out efforts to ensure policies are updated in a timely fashion, chronic absenteeism is reduced and teachers who are struggling have more opportunities to learn from those who are succeeding.
“Board members had so much to say,” Sykes said. “It was an interesting discussion. Very, very interesting and very, very worthwhile.”
Sykes said she and others still had areas of improvement for Outley that they hope they’ll see progress on before her full evaluation. Those include her relationship with the in-house counsel, a new position in APS after nearly a decade without one.
Her experience evaluating Outley was markedly different from that of evaluating Robinson in 2024, Sykes said. The former superintendent had no goals or objectives for her to judge Robinson on, and his contract was only one page long, she said.
She said the new process started under the previous school board, before three new members joined in January.
“It’s good to have someone there in the room,” Sykes said of Farnsworth’s assistance. “We wanted to try to do this as a board, seven of us. On balance, it represents where the board stands.”
Wayne Bowers’ midyear evaluation: ‘Very pleased’
Bowers’ midyear evaluation says the board is “very pleased” with his performance thus far. At a more succinct 10 pages, Bowers’ evaluation is also longer than that of his predecessor, Steve Thompson, which was just 350 words.
Bowers is being evaluated on his leadership; financial management; facilities, property and capital asset management; communication and collaboration; and professionalism.
In an interview Tuesday, Bowers said he thought the board’s objectives were clear as a result of their conversations.
“I feel like it was a pretty thorough and organized process,” he said. “I think it’s very detailed.”
His midyear review says he has made it a priority to improve his skills through professional development and he has already successfully resolved many challenges. It adds that the board is pleased with the training he is offering staffers and appreciates that he “explains school finance in a way that is understandable to others.” Bowers is receptive to questions and responsive, the board said.
“Importantly, he and the Superintendent appear to make a good leadership team,” the board’s comments say.
Bowers highlighted his ability to fully staff the finance department for the first time since 2019, his consistent communication, and the extra work he’s put in as the district seeks to make budget cuts.
His goals include facilitating an audit, enabling the district to operate without state oversight, keeping on top of the needs for another levy and reviewing existing guidelines related to property inventory, fixed assets and public records.
Farnsworth, the consultant, said both Bowers and Outley seem like “great administrators” who have an opportunity to grow through their work.
The evaluation process, he said, is important, and the way it’s conducted helps determine whether relationships are collaborative or dysfunctional.
“This process works extremely well if you want to hold an administrator accountable and build successful teamwork to build a leadership team,” Farnsworth said. “The way you work together or don’t work together, communicate, evaluate — all of that is going to create the kind of culture.”