A major administrative shake-up of Broward schools received approval Tuesday, even though most School Board members complained the move was unfair to the next superintendent.
The action comes two days before the School Board is expected to vote Thursday to hire a new superintendent, and most board members want that person to make major changes.
Interim Superintendent Earlean Smiley’s plan included dozens of staff changes, including high-paid promotions, demotions and non-renewals. Most of the promotions were made without advertising the jobs and going through the normal interview process, angering several board members.
“We ought to be attracting national talent, not just promoting internal candidates,” Board member Allen Zeman said. “Until we get real with what the public wants, we’re going to continue to be distrusted by the people who pay our bills.”
Smiley wouldn’t back off, saying the board had hired her to assess district staff and make changes that would “ready the system” for a new superintendent. She said it hasn’t often worked when previous superintendents brought in new staff.
“I found this district in free fall because what Dr. Zeman just outlined was allowed to happen,” Smiley said. “We brought people in, we gave them positions on a whim.”
General Marylin Batista told the School Board that state law supports Smiley’s right to make the changes, regardless of the duration of her tenure. Batista said the School Board can only reject appointments for limited reasons, such as a candidate’s lack of qualifications or a morality issue.
“The law is very clear when it comes to personnel appointments. The discretion of the board is very limited,” Batista said.
The board also would be putting the jobs of thousands of employees at risk, because the plan includes reappointments of every non-instructional employee in the district, Batista said.
Board members Torey Alston and Daniel Foganholi strongly supported the plan, while Debbi Hixon said she was comfortable with it after finding out the next superintendent will have the authority to make some changes.
But the majority of School Board members disliked the plan. Board members Jeff Holness and Brenda Fam voted yes, saying they were legally required to support it. Chairwoman Lori Alhadeff was out Tuesday, but told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Sunday she believed the reorganization should wait for the next superintendent.
Three other board members, Zeman, Sarah Leonardi and Nora Rupert voted no, arguing Smiley had failed to follow district policies and procedures when making these employees.
Rupert and Zeman also voiced concerns about large salary increases, including $25,000 for Valerie Wanza to serve in an upgraded chief of staff job and $40,000 for Alan Strauss to become acting deputy superintendent for teaching and learning.
“I hope that someday we have an executive policy that says executives can’t get a pay raise bigger than the teachers’ pay raise,” Zeman said.
Alston, a Smiley ally, suggested Zeman’s desire was absurd.
“Should your deputy superintendent make the same as a reading teacher? To create the false narrative your deputy superintendent or police chief of CIO should make the same as a teacher, stop it,” Alston said.
Alston, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, was chairman for a three-month period following the release of a grand jury report when the board was controlled by appointees of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Do we need a Reform Board 2.0? We may,” Alston said. “We need to follow state law.”