Tracey Lopeman, Ed.D.

The Maricopa Unified School District unanimously voted to enter into contract negotiations with its top pick for superintendent Wednesday.

The governing board met in executive session after its regular meeting March 28 to delegate the negotiation process among its finalist, the board’s attorney and Board President AnnaMarie Knorr.

MUSD’s board voted March 26 to offer a contract to Tracey Lopeman, one of three finalists in the district’s superintendent search.

The board and Lopeman are expected to deliberate an annual salary range between $135,000-$155,000.

Human Resources Director Tom Beckett said the board can offer Lopeman up to a three-year contract with health insurance, disability insurance as well as possible car and cell phone allowances and other terms.

The board previously stated it would prefer to officially hire a new superintendent by April.

If a contract is accepted, Lopeman will replace former Superintendent Steve Chestnut, who left MUSD for a position at Scottsdale Unified School District early this month.

Beckett said the board has indicated it would like to have Lopeman on-the-job as soon as possible. Lopeman is assistant superintendent of the Alhambra Elementary School District in Phoenix. The board’s last salary negotiation with Chestnut occurred in 2015 at a $137,000 price tag.

Alongside contract negotiations, MUSD is also considering the adoption of K-12 English-Language Arts curriculum.

A presentation by Curriculum Director Wade Watson showed a majority of teachers in the district who piloted three anonymous curriculum vendors in their classrooms preferred the most expensive package: $1.7 million.

The board might take action on future ELA curriculum during its next meeting.

The district approved district-wide math curriculum last year for more than $1 million.

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