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Thursday, July 7, 2005

APS Board Starts Everitt's Review

By Russell Contreras
Journal Staff Writer
    Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education met behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss Superintendent Elizabeth Everitt's job performance.
    The closed session was the start of Everitt's annual evaluation, and board members may decide later this year to extend the superintendent's contact one more year.
    "We were just discussing how I'll be evaluated for my yearly evaluation," said Everitt after the meeting. "The board is going to evaluate me based on the goals I set out to accomplish."
    Everitt's contract, which runs through June 2007, pays her $151,875 annually. According to the contract, board members have until November 2006 to act on her contract, said Lauran Morrison, a APS spokeswoman. If no action is taken by that date, Everitt gets an automatic extension to 2008.
    Everitt said she feels she's meeting most of her goals, such as closing the achievement gap between minority and Anglo students.
    A year ago the board voted to give Everitt a contract extension until June 2007 in order to "provide stability" to the district. Board members said they preferred to stay with the same leadership because of the federal No Child Left Behind law and West Side growth issues.
    Only board member Robert Lucero voted against extending Everitt's contract. Lucero said APS should stay with shorter contracts for administrators.
    In May 2004, all APS top administrators agreed to a 2 percent pay cut to help balance the district's budget, which needed to close a $40 million gap.
    Morrison said the 2 percent pay cut will be restored this coming budget year because of midyear adjustments from the state. That will bring Everitt's salary back up to $150,000, plus another $1,875 because of recent state-mandated raises for public school employees approved by state lawmakers.