#TXLEGE: Incompetent Superintendents costing Texas Taxpayers MILLIONS

"That they may successfully do evil with both hands—
The prince asks for gifts,
The judge seeks a bribe,
And the great man utters his evil desire;
So they scheme together."
Micah 7:3

Texas Monitor yesterday:

Four Texas school districts last year lost nearly $400,000 in state funding as a penalty for their generosity to departing superintendents, according to records obtained by Texas Monitor. It’s part of a pattern that’s been going on for than two decades.

Many of the districts that had their state funding reduced are small, rural districts with fewer than 5,000 students, leaving them with budget holes in addition to superintendent vacancies.

The penalties have been on the books since 1995, when an omnibus education bill passed that requires the state to withhold funds from a district that pays a settlement worth more than the superintendent’s annual compensation.

Districts have for years paid large sums to departing superintendents, either to help convince an unpopular official to leave or because the superintendent simply wanted to retire or had a better job offer.

In almost every case, the severance payment had been agreed to as part of the contract when the official was hired.

Bottom Line: If you're wondering why the legislature should set a threshold for (at least) 60% of education spending to go into the classroom, this would be a good place to start....