Before the Pinellas School Board makes a decision on a replacement for outgoing school superintendent Clayton Wilcox, an influential local education group will have its say, the organization's leader has promised.

"I'm sure we'll have a discussion about where we want to be in the process regarding particular traits or leadership abilities," said Terry Boehm (left), president of the Pinellas Education Foundation. "It would certainly be within our right to do that."

One trait the foundation will insist upon from any candidate, Boehm said, is a commitment to increasing career and technical education opportunities for high school students. For more than two years, he said, the group has considered such programs the surest route to reducing the dropout rate and improving Pinellas' sagging graduation rate.

The group is so convinced that the district's future depends on the creation of rigorous career education programs, Boehm said, that its board of directors might suggest that the board look for a new superintendent from among the ranks of business and industry.

"I don't think the board should be short-sighted and discount that possibility," he said. "I think that's certainly something they should look at."

See tomorrow's St. Petersburg Times or tampabay.com tomorrow for the rest of the story.

- Donna Winchester, Pinellas education reporter