Why give a five-year contract that a superintendent can unilaterally terminate? Why hire a superintendent’s spouse by creating a new position (and not interviewing anybody else for it)? Does it make sense to have a five-year turnaround plan when we know our recent superintendents, having no prior record of sustainable improvement anywhere, by early departure, could also avoid being accountable at Hays? Does it make sense to contractually agree to give the superintendent a minimum 5% annual raise, regardless of performance or the district’s ability to give teachers a raise? We spent over $1.2 billion the last ten years, averaging over $12,000/student annually, while SAT scores plummeted and test scores rose only 1.7%, and we’re focused (again) on the Rebel Flag?
How did HCISD recover investment in Lyon by buying back three years of foregone Teacher Retirement System (TRS) retirement benefits while he was employed out of state? He stayed only ten more months after the final installment was paid! He was not required to transfer his retirement contributions while out of state back to TRS. In essence, he got two retirements while out of state. And, the amount of these payments, over $100,000, was not disclosed in the superintendent’s contract, which by law has to be made public on the district’s website. Shouldn’t the entire superintendent’s compensation package be disclosed on the district’s website?
Was it fair for lame duck Lyon to be making recommendations regarding divisive policy changes while secretly planning his exit? How will the Board avoid these pitfalls in the future? One way would be to make it clear, the superintendent pays the district back should he/she leave early. Enforce the contract! Another way would be to require disclosure when you interview somewhere else. Don’t guarantee any raise! Tie compensation to measurable academic gains. Don’t hire the superintendent’s spouse! Don’t use the Texas Association of School Administrators contract!
The district continues to suffer the penalty for non-alignment of the best interest of the district and the best interest of our recent family-compensation focused superintendents.
Bryce Bales
Manchaca
