New DISD Superintendent Mike Miles (DISD Photo)
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles continues to add high-ranking and high-paid executives to his staff.
On Tuesday, he announced his sixth and final cabinet member: Dr. Sylvia Reyna, Dallas ISD’s new Chief of School Leadership. She comes to Dallas after serving as Chief of Administration for the Fort Worth ISD.
DISD also announced that five assistant superintendents will report to Reyna. And all five will also receive salaries of more than $150,000. In a phone interview, Miles defended the recent hires.
“I’m very concerned about budget issues and our budget reductions over the past, and I think we’ve shown that we’re going to try to be as efficient and effective as possible and we’ve saved, so far, $1.2 million,” Miles said. “I think that shows that we’re going to continue to be concerned about the budget.”
Reyna’s new cabinet position will pay her $198,000 a year. The five assistant superintendents who report to her will make between $160,000 to $173,000.
Miles is also assembling a team of 20 executive directors who will report to the new assistant superintendents. So far, he has filled 13 of those positions.
A president of one of the unions representing Dallas ISD teachers say the salaries are being viewed by many as a slap in the face.
“There’s anger, there’s true frustration, because these people are not the ones that are in front of the students everyday in the classrooms,” said Rena Honea, president of Alliance AFT. “So they’re questioning, why the big salaries?
Miles is also defending the new hires by arguing that the district is cutting the number of administrators and support staff from 99 to 66.
Dallas ISD put out a detailed press release explaining each new hire’s experience. Head here to see that.
