In a normal school year, in Hawaii and elsewhere, public schools superintendents grapple with tight budgets for operations and making unpopular decisions. The shifting coronavirus landscape has compounded these challenges and others, prompting a national trend toward higher-than-average turnover in this top administrative position.

This week, Hawaii joined that trend as Superintendent Christina Kishimoto announced she will step down in late July after four years at the helm of the state’s public schools. Her move comes after two key unions — one representing teachers and the other, principals — announced opposition to keeping her on the job after her contract expires.

The unions cited poor communication and failure to consult with them on various matters. In Kishimoto’s latest state Board of Education (BOE) evaluation — issued several months after COVID-19 concerns prompted an abrupt switch to distance learning — she was rated as “effective” overall, with marks ranging from “highly effective” for “equity advocacy,” to “marginal” on “operations, resource and personnel management.”

As the BOE searches for a successor, it should prioritize candidates with the bureaucratic skills and know-how needed to complete full transition back to in-person learning. Due to often-conflicting demands from teachers, staff and parents amid pandemic uncertainty, effective schools management has become more complex.

Hawaii’s next superintendent will surely be in the hot seat for many constituencies. Even so, all factions and camps must work in tandem to correct shortcomings in cohesive operations, communication and transparency.

Meanwhile, in her remaining months, Kishimoto must push hard to bring the majority of students back to campus after spring break while phasing out the too-heavy reliance on distance learning. Though initially necessary to address public health protocols, virtual classrooms have proved to be a poor substitute for in-person settings, for classwork as well as social and emotional support.

Further, robust plans must start forming today for needed catch-up learning. The $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package signed by President Joe Biden on Thursday includes at least $634 million in estimated funding for Hawaii schools. A chunk, estimated at 20%, is reserved for summer learning, after-school programs, and extended-day or extended-year programs.

Hawaii must do what it takes to put this funding to good use by employing union and nonunion educators to help students recoup learning losses, including via remedial summer classes. As of the second quarter, 21% of elementary schoolers — 1 in 5 — were receiving a failing grade in English language arts. In math, 15% were failing.

Kishimoto, who has rightly worked to uphold the principle of “equity of access to excellence” in education, must see to it that losses are addressed and academic benchmarks are met before students are promoted or pick up diplomas. Anything less is a disservice to students and the greater community.

As the 2020-21 school year neared its midpoint, Dan Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, told the Denver Post: “There is no doubt about it that there has been a significant rise in the number of superintendents that are retiring, resigning or just leaving their post. And that’s without doubt due to the pandemic and the tremendous pressure that they’re working under.”

Kishimoto deserves credit for trying to keep things afloat in a turbulent year. Superintendents are the educational leaders of their communities — a statewide community, in Hawaii’s case. They’re tasked with achieving big-picture educational goals while managing personnel and a long list of other responsibilities. The success or failure of programs, teachers and students ultimately lies with them. It’s a job that must always be informed by the aim to provide students with a pathway to success, and requires an expansive skill set to make it happen.