Superintendent bonus indicates district improvements despite tests scores falling short

The Maricopa Unified School District approved a merit-based cash bonus for the district’s superintendent at the Nov. 17 board meeting, a move which could indicate scholastic improvements.

The unanimous decision came after a closed executive session where, according to the board’s preliminary minutes, it was deemed that Superintendent Steve Chestnut partially achieved two performance goals outlined by the district.

In all, Chestnut is set to receive $9,500 of a possible $14,700 in bonuses. The criterion, established by the Superintendent Performance Pay Goals document, ratified Dec. 2, 2015, offered a potential $7,350 each if met or exceeded.

Of the award, $2,500 is being granted for achievements toward Goal 1, an assessment of AzMerit test scores. The document states that, despite failing to meet the established goals, the bonuses may be  prorated if the superintendent has “approached or made meaningful progress on the goal.”

School Board President Patti Coutré indicated comparisons of peer district test scores were made to determine if there was progress made toward Goal 1. Though improvements were seen, scores still fell short of expectations, and thus Chestnut would receive only a portion of the bonus.

“His goal for that [test scores] was to meet or exceed the previous year’s scores,” Coutré said. “It is unfortunately obvious that that goal was not met.”

Though MUSD administered the district’s first AzMerit test in the spring of 2015, it wasn’t until spring of 2016 that the district could establish a solid baseline of AzMerit test scores. It was those scores that were then compared to test results from peer districts as well as state averages, and it is from that assessment that the board made its decision.

The remaining $7,000 is being granted to Chestnut for overall progress in implementing the district’s strategic plan, which outlines, among other things, updates to the K-12 curriculum, the addition of select new faculty and staff and new improvements to emergency management procedures.

Though unrelated to Chestnut’s assessment, the district also recently saw the passage of Maricopa’s new budget override, which will expand the public school budget and soon allow for the hiring of 50 new faculty and staff.