A national group that ties classroom success to education  policy will advise Duval County School Board members today on how to move  forward in hiring a new superintendent.

The Houston-based Center for Reform of School Systems will guide board  members in the pre-work process, according to organization President Cathy  Mincberg. That means ensuring the board comes together with a common vision of  the type of superintendent to seek.

"This group has been through enough to know that the big, controversial  decisions — and hiring a superintendent is always potentially controversial — need as large a majority as you can get," Mincberg said. "They have been through  a huge amount of training that helps them focus on student achievement."

The board will be replacing Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals at the end of  his contract in December. It hopes to have a candidate in place when he  leaves.