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A couple of weeks ago we noticed that the Dallas Independent School District’s board of trustees was considering a new “Superintendent Evaluation Instrument,” which broke down the criteria into three separate categories: “student achievement,” “sound financial management” and “stakeholder satisfaction.” For the purposes of this particular report card, percentages were assigned to each category, with student achievement accounting for 65 percent of the super’s grade; financial management, 20 percent; stakeholder satisfaction, 15 percent.
But in looking at the latest breakdown before the board, which will vote on the new criteria this afternoon after giving Michael Hinojosa his review behind closed doors, those percentages have changed; it’s now 55 percent, 25 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Which isn’t a terribly big change, but a change nonetheless. And while I figured the numbers were altered by the board during its meeting last week, I figured I’d ask DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander.
“Some of board members felt we need to give more weight to financial management, because that was obviously an issue we had last year, so they wanted to see that change,” he says. “Same deal with stakeholder satisfaction — they felt it was important as well. They felt like too much emphasis was given to the academic stuff and wanted to balance it out.”
Incidentally, Dahlander adds that, yes, the super’s getting his review today, but he’s not sure if we’ll get a peek at the results: “It’s a personnel matter, so I don’t know. I do know that he is not asking for a [contract] extension today, and I am not expecting the board to approve an extension.” Hinojosa’s under contract till 2012.”
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