DISD Super Says His Chief Academic Officer Can Forget That Big Raise. For Now, At Least.

By Kimberly Thorpe Tue., Sep. 29 2009 at 3:27 PM

Categories: Edumication News

Kimberly Thorpe

DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa at the downtown Sheraton today

A Dallas Regional Chamber meeting featuring Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Michael Hinojosa has been on our agenda now for some time. Still, we couldn't help but use the opportunity to ask Hinojosa in person about this morning's story by Tawnell Hobbs, who reported that Hinojosa may face reprimand after trustees unknowingly approved a $28,225 raise for a senior administrator at a board meeting last week. That maybe-handslap is on the DISD trustees' agenda for this week's called board meeting.

"What happened on that issue is that Mr. [Ron] Price asked for that to be on the agenda," Hinojosa told Unfair Park, as he stepped down from stage after the meeting. "We both thought it was going to be on the October agenda. And it got put on the September agenda by mistake. So we're going to just rectify the mistake. We'll get it handled. Some of the trustees are upset about it, so we'll talk about it."

Hinojosa acknowledged that trustees must approve all raises of senior staff members. Then he broke this bit of news: Chief Academic Officer Robin Ryan can forget all about that $28,000 raise. For now.

"We're going to undo it," said Hinojosa. "Then if there's a majority of the board that wants to support our recommendation and Mr. Price's idea, then we'll bring it back."

More about the real reason for our visit to the Sheraton shortly.