The role of the superintendent has become increasingly complex. As proof, there are staggering statistics, including that the average length of tenure for superintendents in large urban school districts is 3.18 years.  ACSA recognizes and supports the essential role of the superintendent and has responded with the recently implemented Targeted Assistance service. ACSA’s Targeted Assistance Consulting Solutions provides real-time, one-on-one support for superintendents in the areas of board governance and labor relations/negotiations. The consultation is provided by experienced and successful superintendents, CBOs and assistant superintendents with a broad range of expertise and experience. Former superintendents Frank Adelman and Trudy Arriaga are co-chairing the service and are ready to match districts with an outstanding consultant, based on their needs.   The two areas that are most frequently identified by superintendents as being areas that require additional support and expertise are board governance and labor relations/negotiations. Targeted Assistance consultants are experienced, trained and ready to serve in both areas.   In the area of labor relations and bargaining, the goal is to build vital knowledge, courage and confidence from proposal to agreement. Fiscal review and solvency, preparation, and experience in labor negotiations and bargaining are essential to student achievement. ACSA has a team of skilled negotiators who will work with superintendents to provide fiscal analysis and contract review. They will assist you with the review, analysis and development of the bargaining proposal. If necessary, the consultant will provide direct assistance at the bargaining table. ACSA tailors the service to meet your needs.   Board governance is unique to the superintendent position and outstanding governance is essential to successful leadership. The ability of a superintendent to use the governance structure to lead for equity is a key to student success. Strategies to work collaboratively with the school board to engage in community building and shared decision-making and to skillfully navigate a school district’s often turbulent waters are essential. Our team of experienced district leaders, including superintendents and CBOs, will work side by side with the superintendent to strengthen relationships to work collectively with your school board. ACSA consultants will help to develop practices to create a partnership of professionalism and ethical standards, trust and efficiency with clearly defined roles. A common vision will be developed in partnership to identify clear goals, targets and a monitoring system. If needed, the consultant will assist to develop a formal superintendent evaluation process and a board self-evaluation process, focused on student performance and board expectations.   Why choose ACSA Targeted Assistance over other options? It is an affordable process for partnering with ACSA colleagues who have done the job successfully. Targeted Assistance provides ongoing, honest and confidential support in a collaborative, problem-solving environment. The feedback will be specific, targeted and responsive. Targeted assistance is superintendent-centered and available to new and experienced superintendents.  El Monte Union High School Superintendent Edward Zuniga consulted with Targeted Assistance to provide board governance assistance.  “Targeted Assistance provided an experienced superintendent to work on board/superintendent governance in our district. The experience was well received and strengthened our governance team as we established protocol, procedures and norms,” he said. “A self-evaluation system allowed us to assess ourselves and hold ourselves accountable to agreed upon standards to better serve our students and our community.”  ACSA has many districts currently taking advantage of Targeted Assistance and can provide references upon request. Visit for more information.