Grand Forks Narrows Superintendent Search Firms

The search committee picked three hiring consultants to present, as Superintendent Terry Brenner prepares to retire after the 2026-27 school year.

Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Administration

Empty wooden meeting table and folded chairs in a plain beige room with tall windows overlooking a snowy prairie horizon. — Grand Forks Public Schools' search committee voted to have three of six hiring consultants present, as Superintendent Terry Brenner prepares to retire after the 2026-27 school year. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you think Grand Forks schools should pay outside consultants to find a new superintendent?

The Grand Forks Public Schools superintendent search committee voted to have three of six potential hiring consultants give presentations: Ray & Associates, McPherson & Jacobson, and Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates. The search follows Superintendent Terry Brenner's September announcement that he will retire at the end of the 2026-27 school year.

Why it matters

Brenner's retirement opens leadership of the district, and the choice of whether to use a consultant affects both the cost and the reach of the search. The district's small human resources department would otherwise lack a broad network of candidates.

The committee is made up of four Grand Forks school board members and two Grand Forks Air Force Base school board members. Brenner estimated a consultant would cost $20,000 to $50,000, but the exact figure will not be known until a recommendation reaches the full board.

The players

Terry Brenner

Brenner is the superintendent of Grand Forks Public Schools, who announced his retirement in September and plans to finish out the 2026-27 school year.

Grand Forks Public Schools

Grand Forks Public Schools is the district that operates the schools serving the city of Grand Forks and is conducting the superintendent search.

Grand Forks Air Force Base school board

The Grand Forks Air Force Base school board is represented by two members on the superintendent search committee.

The details

The committee voted on its three finalists at a Thursday meeting. Whichever consultant is hired would conduct stakeholder meetings and narrow the candidate pool to three finalists, while presentations from the firms could take place virtually as early as next week.

September: Superintendent Terry Brenner announced his retirement, with plans to finish the 2026-27 school year.
October: Brenner estimated the cost of a hiring consultant at $20,000 to $50,000.
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026: The search committee voted to select three consultants for presentations.
Next week: Consultant presentations could take place virtually.
Nov. 23, 2026: The board's next meeting, ahead of which the committee could make a final recommendation.

Season Trajectory

The decision to use an outside consultant reflects a common choice among districts whose human resources departments are too small to run a national superintendent search alone. How the Grand Forks committee resolves the question will shape how quickly the district can fill its top leadership role after Brenner leaves.

Families and staff will see the district's next leader selected in the spring, and the choice of consultant determines whether the district pays a fee of $20,000 to $50,000. The outcome affects the continuity of school administration for students and employees during the transition.

The takeaway

A superintendent search is a public process that moves through visible steps, from consultant selection to board approval. Following the committee's recommendation before the Nov. 23 board meeting shows how the district weighs cost against reach.

What happens next

The committee could make a final recommendation on a consultant ahead of the board's Nov. 23, 2026 meeting, and the next superintendent is expected to be named in April or May.