Lansing superintendent headed to Seattle

Lansing School District Superintendent Ben Shuldiner is expecting to move to Seattle within months.

He has been named as the sole finalist for the same job for Seattle Public Schools and is negotiating his start date but has indicated to Lansing officials that he expects to leave around the end of January or early February, said school district spokesperson Ryan Gilding.

Since last week’s announcement, Shuldiner remains active daily in Lansing’s district and his final days could be sooner, depending on the negotiations, Gilding said.

The Seattle board voted unanimously Nov. 5 to name Shuldiner as their only finalist.

“Once a contract, including salary and start date, is finalized, the board will vote once more to complete the hire,” the Seattle district said in a statement announcing the decision. The next scheduled Seattle school board meeting is Nov. 19.

The Lansing School District has a regular board meeting scheduled for Nov. 20. A special Nov. 20 board meeting, intended to start Shuldiner’s routine self-evaluation process, has been cancelled. Shuldiner’s 2025-2026 salary is $265,000, Gilding said.

First Deputy Superintendent Jessica Benavides is the next-in-line at the school district, Gilding said.

He said the school board would make any decisions about interim or permanent replacements and will detail the next steps.

The Lansing School District’s Board of Education is beginning plans to transition to an interim leadership and start a superintendent search, according to a statement.

“The district remains focused on maintaining high educational standards and supporting students, staff and the community as we move forward in selecting the next superintendent,” the board said, in a statement.

Shuldiner has led the district since 2021. In the last year, he has been named as a finalist for superintendent jobs near Las Vegas and Louisville, Kentucky.

The Lansing School District has more than 10,000 students, Seattle has around 50,000.