Escambia County School Board approves Keith Leonard's contract. Read what's inside
The Escambia County School Board unanimously approved Superintendent Keith Leonard’s contract Tuesday night, offering him a base annual salary of $172,250.
Leonard was offered the interim position for the 2023-24 school year in May after the board voted to terminate former Superintendent Tim Smith in a surprise 3-2 vote during their monthly board meeting. Leonard officially took the reins in June, where he entered into an interim contract that offered him with $160,000 annual base pay.
In October, Board Chair Patty Hightower, who was one of the two board members to vote against Smith’s termination in May, initiated the idea of making Leonard’s position permanent in hopes of offering more stability to the school district.
The board conducted a performance evaluation of Leonard ahead of their official vote in January, where Leonard was rated “highly effective” overall by school board members. The board then voted unanimously on Jan. 16 to make his position permanent, forgoing an additional search for the district's next superintendent.
Now that the contract has made Leonard's position binding, here are the details of what’s inside.
How long will Leonard’s contract last?
The contract will only last 2.5 years, ending June 30, 2027, with the opportunity for an 18-month extension stretching the contract into the end of 2028. Any time before Dec. 30, 2025, the board will be able to extend the contract with a majority vote. However, if no action is taken by the board, the contract will be automatically extended. Leonard will be able to request that the board not extend the contract, and it would then expire in June 2027.
How much money will Leonard be making?
The school board has agreed to pay Leonard $172,250 per year as a starting base salary, with the opportunity to increase each year based on his performance. Leonard will start off making over $12,000 more than Smith, who holds a doctorate in educational leadership. However, Leonard has been an employee with the district for over 35 years, serving in a variety of roles including the assistant superintendent of human resource services, teacher, athletic coach and chief negotiator. Leonard holds a master's in physical education from the University of West Florida. Leonard will also receive $500 a month for automobile-related expenses and $200 a month for business expenses.
How easily can the board terminate Leonard’s contract?
Like Smith’s contract, the board will be given the authority to terminate Leonard at any time before June 30, 2027, without cause, as long as they have a majority vote. He would be entitled to full compensation payment for 100% of all accrued leave. If he chooses to resign, Leonard must provide the board with at least 90 days’ notice.
Read Leonard's full contract here.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia County School Board approves Keith Leonard's contract
