By Juan Montoya
After months of dissembling and denial, Brownsville Independent School District Superintendent Brett Springston sprung his notice of resignation Wednesday ending his reign over a district that has gone from financial surplus to penny-pinching and a lower academic rating from the state.
Springton's June surprise came after the board of trustee met in executive session to evaluate his performance Wednesday.
It was a fitting end for someone who recognized the writing on the wall. Springston was hired by the previous board majority Dec. 15, 2009 but had been named interim superintendent since January 2009. His hiring smacked of favoritism and politics since the pool of applicants was limited to BISD employees.
His critics contend that during his tenure, relatives and associates of former board majority members were awarded plum positions at choice schools and BISD offices.
After months of dissembling and denial, Brownsville Independent School District Superintendent Brett Springston sprung his notice of resignation Wednesday ending his reign over a district that has gone from financial surplus to penny-pinching and a lower academic rating from the state.
Springton's June surprise came after the board of trustee met in executive session to evaluate his performance Wednesday.
It was a fitting end for someone who recognized the writing on the wall. Springston was hired by the previous board majority Dec. 15, 2009 but had been named interim superintendent since January 2009. His hiring smacked of favoritism and politics since the pool of applicants was limited to BISD employees.
His critics contend that during his tenure, relatives and associates of former board majority members were awarded plum positions at choice schools and BISD offices.
In the two years since he took over, the fund balance went from about $128 million to about $80. The new board majority will hire a team of forensic investigators this month to determine whether any criminal or civil activity took place in the spending of that district's funds.
The resignation came halfway through a three-year contract, but it has been reported and confirmed that he had applied for employment in Alabama and in Bartlett, Texas, among other places.
Media reports indicates that he is the lone finalist for the Bartlett ISD superintendent's position. Bartlett has two schools with a $3.5 million budget. It's academic rating is "acceptable."
In contrast, BISD has enjoyed– until the recent release of TAKS scores Wednesday – an academic rating of "recognized," just one step below "exemplary."
The BISD budget is around $500million and the district counts with 49,155 students.
The resignation came halfway through a three-year contract, but it has been reported and confirmed that he had applied for employment in Alabama and in Bartlett, Texas, among other places.
Media reports indicates that he is the lone finalist for the Bartlett ISD superintendent's position. Bartlett has two schools with a $3.5 million budget. It's academic rating is "acceptable."
In contrast, BISD has enjoyed– until the recent release of TAKS scores Wednesday – an academic rating of "recognized," just one step below "exemplary."
The BISD budget is around $500million and the district counts with 49,155 students.
Bartlett's population was 1,675 at the 2000 census, and 1,701 in the 2005 census estimate. Brownsville, on the other hand, is expected to top more than 250,000 this census cycle.
Trustees named Carl Montoya (no relation tome) acting superintendent. Montoya, the area assistant superintendent for the Rivera Cluster of schools and past area superintendent for the Hanna Cluster, has been with the district since early 2008.
Media reports indicate that Montoya came to BISD from the Aransas Pass Independent School District near Corpus Christi, where he was superintendent. In a 35-year career, he has worked for the Dallas ISD, and the Albuquerque, Gallup and Las Cruces schools in his native New Mexico.
Trustees named Carl Montoya (no relation tome) acting superintendent. Montoya, the area assistant superintendent for the Rivera Cluster of schools and past area superintendent for the Hanna Cluster, has been with the district since early 2008.
Media reports indicate that Montoya came to BISD from the Aransas Pass Independent School District near Corpus Christi, where he was superintendent. In a 35-year career, he has worked for the Dallas ISD, and the Albuquerque, Gallup and Las Cruces schools in his native New Mexico.
2 comments:
Good Riddance
I agree with Pedro. If the district really want to save on budget, they need to get rid of positions that are redundant. Higher positions with high pay but not really producing much need to be abolished.
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