TULSA, Okla. — The Board of Education voted to renew TPS Superintendent Dr. Gist's contract for two more years. It begins July 1, 2021 and ends June 30, 2023.
The board also approved an annual review, the first happening this September. At that time, the board can vote whether to extend the superintendent's contract an additional year.
The board said this will give the district stability and will allow the new Board of Education to have a say in Dr. Gist's contract. Elections for the board were supposed to be held in April, but were delayed due to the pandemic. The election will now take place June 30.
Dr. Gist’s current contract isn’t up for another year. The board’s decision to vote on it early upset some in the community.
Theresa Hinman, founder of the Coalition for the Betterment of Indian Education, said there needs to be more communication and transparency and they should be focusing more on their response to COVID-19.
“Why do we have to do it now?" Hinman said. "She’s got a year to go, well more than a year, a year plus to go, let’s see how well she does, you know, in the next year. I mean, I don’t know if closing four schools is a good criteria for extending a contract.”
The board is also holding special meetings to come up with a plan for the school year. Its final meeting, where the board could decide on a plan, is next Monday. You can review that plan here.
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