Bill+to+alter+superintendent+contracts+clears+Senate+committee

=By Eleanor Chute= =Published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette= =3/6/12= = = = = =The state Senate Education Committee today approved a proposal to limit contract buyouts to superintendents and requires student achievement to be part of a superintendent's contract.= =The bill -- sponsored by state Sen. Jeff Piccola, R-Dauphin,and chairman of the committee -- is in its early stages. It still requires approval from both the House and the Senate before going to the governor.= =The bill also calls for three-year contracts for superintendents and assistant superintendents rather than the current standard for boards to approve three to five years.= =Under the bill, superintendent and assistant superintendent contracts would be subject to Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know law.= ="Reining in these contracts and making them subject to greater transparency and accountability through performance-based objectives is a step in the right direction," Mr. Piccola said in a news release.= =Since 2004, contract buyouts have been costly for some school districts.= =South Allegheny bought out the contract of the late Patrick Risha for $375,000. Mt. Lebanon paid more than $500,000 to buy out the contract of Margery Sable. Pittsburgh paid $150,165 to buy out the contract of former superintendent John Thompson and $213,000 for Lynn Spampinato to give up her job as deputy superintendent and perform consulting work.= =The news release said that proposal is supported by recommendations made by state Auditor General Jack Wager, who studied various superintendent buyout agreements.= = = =Read more: [|http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12066/1214828-178.stm#ixzz1oOi6qCF2] = = = = = = = = = = = =News= =home=