JPS superintendent contract extended another year
Citing increased district performance and growth and a high performance evaluation, the Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees approved extending Superintendent Cedrick Gray's three-year contract for one more year on Wednesday.
The board also voted unanimously to award Gray, who came to Jackson from Fayette County Schools in Tennessee in 2012, a $5,000 merit-based salary increase.
Gray's contract is automatically renewed for an additional year contingent upon positive evaluation by the board, which conducted its evaluation of Gray in February.
In the past year, the number of JPS schools rated 'F' by the education department have decreased from 17 to eight, and the number of discipline incidents compared to this time last year have dropped by 1,000.
Gray also said the graduation rate of the district has increased from 64 percent to 65.1 percent from the 2012-2013 school year to the 2013-2014 year.
"There's been an increase in parent participation in parent-teacher student activities, and Dr. Gray has made a very positive impact on the culture of the district," Board President Otha Burton said of Gray's accomplishments.
Although the district's overall rating has retained its 'D' rating during the past three years, board members expressed their belief that Gray is on the right track.
Gray has also led the implementation of the Academies of Jackson program, which aims to create small learning communities that focus on high school freshmen. As part of the program, all JPS 9th graders received MacBook Air laptops this year.
At the special session called by the Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees on Wednesday, board members first weighed whether to enter executive session to discuss certain aspects of Gray's contract and clauses that specify conditions upon which Gray, who is currently paid $200,000 annually, would receive a pay raise.
Gray, who oversees the largest urban district in the state, is currently the highest paid superintendent according to the latest data.
The contract states Gray will receive an increase based on at least two conditions being met: a state-approved and funded teacher pay raise occurring during the term of the contract and growth in student achievement over the prior year as measured on 10 of 16 state-mandated test areas.
The increase, according to the contract, must be "at least equal to the teacher pay raise percentage."
However, because testing and assessments have changed each year due to Common Core since the year Gray came on board, and the legislature passed a flat rate increase for teachers this past year, the board first discussed whether it should enter into executive session to discuss those parts of the contract and how a salary raise would be determined for Gray.
Both Burton and Gray emphasized the superintendent had not requested a pay raise.
Board attorney Dorian Turner said the board can go into executive session when discussing personnel matters such as job performance of an employee. The law applies equally for a superintendent.
The board voted unanimously to award Gray a $5,000 increase.
Contact Kate Royals at (601) 360-4619 or kroyals@gannett.com . Follow @KRRoyals on Twitter.