Duluth school board affirms confidence in Superintendent John Magus after year-long review

The Duluth Public Schools Board of Education on Tuesday presented the results of its 2024–25 summative evaluation of Superintendent John Magus, saying the board affirms its confidence in his performance while noting continued work is needed on equity gaps for historically underserved students.
The board said the evaluation followed a schedule agreed in fall 2024 and included a formative review in April 2025 and a summative review in August 2025. Chair Derek Eder said the process aligned with the Minnesota School Boards Association standards and gave the board opportunities for feedback and continuous improvement.
The board identified three priority standards in the evaluation. Under “governance team information for decision-making,” board members said Magus improved the quality of information the board receives, in part through small-group meetings between board members and senior leaders and use of a progress-monitoring calendar. “These conversations, along with the use of a progress monitoring calendar, have kept a strategic plan visible to the community, to the district, and to the board,” the board statement says.
On district finance and asset protection, the evaluation notes Superintendent Magus led the district through $7,600,000 in budget reductions and reallocations over the past two fiscal years and helped add forecasting models and a public-facing budget website that board members said made finances more accessible and linked the budget to strategic priorities and the 2023 referendum commitments.
The board highlighted teaching and learning as the area with the most visible progress. Directors and board members pointed to structures that use data for continuous improvement and supportive accountability, and cited increases in graduation rates districtwide, including gains for African American students and students eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Directors Brenda Spartz (director of elementary schools) and Jen Larva (director of secondary education) credited work on literacy and expanded staff development as factors in early-grade growth.
Superintendent John Magus thanked the board for its work on the evaluation and said he continued to view the board and district staff as central to any success. “I appreciated the feedback, and I’m always looking to improve,” Magus said. He told the board he would participate remotely after the first 20 minutes of the meeting because of prior travel commitments.
Board members echoed appreciation for the evaluation process and for Chair Derek Eder’s role leading it. Member Lofeld said the chair’s preparation and questions helped the board “share genuinely about our ideas and our thoughts for Superintendent Magus.”
The board’s statement expresses confidence in Superintendent Magus’s leadership while acknowledging continuing priorities: closing achievement gaps for historically underserved students and sustaining the district’s strategic investments.