Clark County school superintendent finalist Shonda Huery Hardman

Shonda Huery Hardman knows urban education — from Boston to Chicago to Houston.

Now, Hardman said she’s committed to Clark County — she has two children who will attend Rhodes Elementary and a husband who is joining the Red Rock Radiology group.

“I am just grateful that right now, potentially, we both could be in a city where we’re both able to fulfill our life’s mission,” she told the School Board on Friday.

Huery Hardman now works as a coach for FranklinCovey, traveling around the country to train district leaders on school improvement.

But previously, as chief school support officer for the Houston Independent School District, she supervised school chiefs who oversaw the district’s 284 schools.

She introduced herself as a strong fighter in her interview with the board, saying that the district has to be bold enough to say no to some issues — and fight for funding.

The state’s $5,779 basic support per pupil for fiscal year 2019, she argued, is just not enough.

“I know that’s just the base and there are other pieces of money that go on top of that, but at the end of the day it’s not enough,” she said. “We have to be bold enough to say that.”

Though she’s been out of a school district for three years, Huery Hardman insists she hasn’t left education — she’s still working with teachers and principals in her current role.

Huery Hardman touted her success in Chicago, where she oversaw a network of schools with about 12,000 students and saw gains in science and math over two years, according to her resume.

Her entry plan includes building trust and improving the staff retention.

In Houston, she had a successful tenure despite a difficult superintendent, said Josephine Rice, executive director of the Houston Association of School Administrators.

“She had a strong instinct for figuring out what people needed and trying to meet those needs,” said Rice, who was an assistant superintendent at the time. “She brought different elements into gatherings for administrators that were much more personalized and much more engaging.”

She was previously a finalist for Ohio’s state superintendent role, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

But even if her husband hadn’t moved to Las Vegas, Huery Hardman said she absolutely would still be interested in coming to Clark County.

“I’ve spent my entire last 20-something years dedicated to serving students in urban districts,” she said. “Hands down, absolutely.”

Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at apak-harvey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4630. Follow @AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.