Pine Bluff School District Superintendent Jennifer Barbaree has been selected as one of four finalists to lead the Conway Public School District, placing her among the top candidates for one of the state’s most-watched educational leadership positions.
Barbaree, who has overseen continued progress and stability within the Pine Bluff School District, was chosen from a pool of 16 applicants, according to Jeff Standridge, the Conway-based consultant assisting with the search. A Conway advisory committee reviewed the applications before naming the finalists.
Barbaree is joined on the shortlist by:
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Jason Black, interim superintendent and former deputy superintendent in Conway;
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Tamekia Brown, executive director of elementary education in the Waco Independent School District in Texas;
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Bruce Gearing, superintendent of the Leander Independent School District in the Austin, Texas area.
The Conway superintendent position opened in late June following the school board’s decision to buy out the contract of former superintendent Jeff Collum.
Initial interviews with the finalists are scheduled for December 8, 10, 11 and 17.
Standridge has said Conway expects to offer a total compensation package between $275,000 and $300,000 to secure a strong superintendent candidate.
For Pine Bluff, Barbaree’s inclusion among the finalists highlights the growing statewide recognition of the work taking place within the district and underscores her leadership’s broader impact across Arkansas education.
