A former superintendent in USD 232 in De Soto has found a new job with the Kansas Department of Education.
On Jan. 12, Frank Harwood took a job with the Kansas Department of Education as deputy commissioner of fiscal and administrative services.
“I’ve had a lot of experience in this area,” he said. “I was in a position that I could still be supportive of districts and still help out.”
Harwood will supervise $6.5 billion in funds
Harwood’s responsibilities include:
- Supervising more than $6.5 billion in state and federal funds
- Serving as the liaison for the State Board of Education to the Kansas Legislature, providing information necessary in the decision-making process in the areas of education and school finance
- Auditing of all state and federal programs administered by the state education department
Harwood served in USD 232 for seven years
Harwood decided to retire to make way for a someone else to lead the district through a new growth cycle.
“I think it’s best for the district to have somebody come on now who will be here for that (five to 10-year) period,” he said in a previous interview.
After retiring, Harwood said he felt he had more to give to education in Kansas.
“I wasn’t really planning on a job as big as this, but I felt like I was in a position that I can be helpful,” he said.
Harwood worked decades in public education
In a press release, Dr. Randy Watson, KSDE commissioner of education, said they were excited to bring on Harwood.
“He brings a wealth of school finance and operation knowledge with 30 years of public education experience,” he said.
Harwood’s education background includes a variety of positions:
- Superintendent for Bellevue Public Schools in Bellevue, Nebraska
- Principal at Central Junior High School (now called Liberty Memorial Middle School) in Lawrence, Kansas
- Director of technology and chief operations officer for Lawrence USD 497 in Lawrence, Kansas
Harwood is happy with his USD 232 experience
In his time with USD 232, Harwood was credited with leading the district through the 2018 bond issue that covered 38 projects in areas such as security, career and technical education in the district.
With USD 232 continuing to grow and with more prospects on the future, including the upcoming Panasonic electric vehicle battery plant, he feels it was left in a good place and he’s excited for the new position.
“My wife and I talk all the time about how lucky we were to have been a part of the USD 232 community,” he said. “I’m honored to have been a part of what is really a tremendous School District.”
Go deeper: USD 232 Superintendent Frank Harwood to retire next summer
