Texas lawmakers and constitution leaders push again on the $870K paid to Valere faculties’ superintendent

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Texas lawmakers and an advocacy group representing constitution faculties harshly criticized a tiny constitution college community that has paid its superintendent as much as $870,000 yearly, making him one of many highest-paid public college leaders within the nation.

The criticism got here after ProPublica and the Texas Tribune printed a narrative final week about Valere Public Colleges, revealing that the district had solely reported paying its superintendent, Salvador Cavazos, lower than $300,000 per 12 months. The truth is, bonuses and one-time funds roughly tripled his earnings for operating a district that has fewer than 1,000 college students throughout three campuses.

Lawmakers introduced up the story throughout a essential Texas Home of Representatives committee listening to on March 6 to debate how a lot funding the state ought to present conventional public and constitution faculties within the coming years. Legislators repeatedly pressed Bryce Adams, the vp of presidency affairs for the Texas Public Constitution Colleges Affiliation, about Cavazos’ compensation and requested why constitution faculties want extra state funding in the event that they use it for top administrator pay.

“You got a report in The Texas Tribune today about one of your guys making $800,000 a year,” stated State Rep. John Bryant, a Democrat from Dallas. “None of our superintendents at the public level who have 100,000, 150,000 kids make anything close to that.”

State Rep. Terri Leo Wilson, a Republican from outdoors Houston who beforehand served on the Texas State Board of Training, known as Cavazos’ bonuses “ridiculous, unheard-of, outrageous.”

In response, Adams stated his group can also be against the superintendent’s excessive compensation. He handed out copies of a letter the constitution affiliation had despatched to the three members of the Valere Public Colleges board stating they need to pay Cavazos much less. The affiliation stated it not often questions a district’s actions however described the extra $500,000 to $600,000 the board awards Cavazos on high of his annual wage as “completely out of alignment” with the market. The letter urged the college board to tie Cavazos’ bonuses to particular metrics.

“This behavior will cast a shadow over the public charter school system in Texas and could be detrimental to TPCSA’s ability to advocate on behalf of its members and the students they serve,” the affiliation’s board members wrote in the Jan. 22 letter.

The affiliation despatched the letter to Valere after studying in regards to the newsrooms’ findings however earlier than the article was printed. ProPublica and the Tribune additionally shared that two different constitution college techniques pay their superintendents a whole lot of 1000’s of {dollars} on high of their base salaries. The affiliation didn’t reply questions on whether or not it additionally reached out to these faculties.

The robust public rebuke of Cavazos’ compensation comes as leaders from conventional public and constitution faculties are lobbying legislators for extra money after going years with out will increase to their base funding. That push has intensified given lawmakers’ ongoing efforts to implement a voucher-like program this legislative session, which might enable dad and mom to make use of taxpayer {dollars} to ship their youngsters to non-public faculties. Legislative price range consultants discovered that doing so might take cash away from public faculties. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has championed the voucher program.

Since constitution faculties are thought of public, not personal, lawmakers questioned whether or not taxpayers could possibly be assured that extra spending on public training would go to college students’ wants quite than into the pockets of directors like Cavazos.

Valere Public Colleges’ board members offered no direct response to legislators’ issues about Cavazos’ pay in an emailed reply to the information organizations’ questions this week. In addition they wrote they’d not answered the letter from the constitution affiliation and stated the affiliation has “no regulatory or other authority over Valere.”

Cavazos has declined a number of interview requests. Board members have defended his compensation, explaining that he’s additionally the constitution community’s CEO and his contributions justify his pay. The members additionally stated {that a} “significant” a part of Cavazos’ compensation comes from personal donations, however they might not present proof to help their declare.

Bryant, the Dallas consultant, advised the newsrooms in an interview that Valere Public Colleges’ actions present why the state wants stronger oversight of its constitution faculties.

He stated legislators should tighten the Texas Training Company’s present reporting necessities. The company mandates districts submit all superintendent compensation and advantages on their web site or in an annual report. Districts should additionally ship details about the superintendent’s annual wage and any supplemental funds for additional duties to the state straight, however the state training company didn’t make clear if that features bonuses. It advised the newsrooms it doesn’t examine whether or not districts comply with the primary requirement until a possible violation is flagged.

“We need to put it in the law that they have to report it and that there’s a penalty for failing to do so,” stated Bryant. “Otherwise, it’ll continue to be obscured.”

The Texas Training Company didn’t reply to questions the newsrooms despatched after the legislative listening to in regards to the state’s present oversight of constitution faculties and superintendent compensation. Nor did Texas Home Speaker Dustin Burrows or Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who set the legislative priorities for state lawmakers.

Andrew Mahaleris, press secretary for Abbott, despatched a written assertion to the information organizations scolding college districts that spend the state’s funding on “administrative bloat instead of the teachers they employ and the students they serve.” Abbott will work with lawmakers to make sure public {dollars} go to “students and teachers, not systems and overpaid administrators,” Mahaleris wrote. He didn’t point out particular payments or options.

Lawmakers have submitted at the least 5 payments throughout this legislative session that may prohibit superintendents’ salaries, however most wouldn’t have utilized to the overwhelming majority of Cavazos’ compensation as a result of the proposals don’t restrict bonuses.

State Rep. Carrie Isaac, a Republican representing counties between Austin and San Antonio, filed a proposal that may prohibit superintendents’ pay to not more than twice that of the highest-earning trainer within the college district. Isaac’s present proposal doesn’t account for superintendents’ bonuses. After studying in regards to the Valere College Board’s technique of awarding Cavazos hefty funds on high of his base wage, she stated she was “absolutely” open to revising her invoice to incorporate bonuses.

“I don’t see any justification for that,” Isaac stated in an interview. “I would like to see superintendents that pursue their role out of a dedication for student success, not a means to secure these excessive salaries.”

Regardless of the outcry from lawmakers and consultants inside and outdoors the constitution college sector, the Valere board has to this point stood behind its choices. Requested by the newsrooms whether or not it had any present plans to make adjustments to the pay that Cavazos receives on high of his base wage, the board despatched a one-word response:

“No.”

Disclosure: Texas Public Constitution Colleges Affiliation has been a monetary supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan information group that’s funded partially by donations from members, foundations and company sponsors. Monetary supporters play no function within the Tribune’s journalism. Discover a full record of them right here.

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