AISD superintendent gets raise, contract extension

At last week’s regular Monday meeting of the Austin Independent School District board of trustees, members approved a 4 percent salary increase and a two-year contract extension for district Superintendent Paul Cruz. The motion passed 6-0-3, with District 1 Trustee Edmund Gordon, President Kendall Pace and District 7 Trustee Yasmin Wagner abstaining. Gordon said he was abstaining because a work event prevented him from attending a previous superintendent evaluation and contract discussion; Wagner and Pace gave no reason for their abstentions. Cruz’s evaluation and subsequent salary raises are based partially on his performance, which is measured by a yearly district scorecard. Pace said for the 2015-2016 school year, Cruz had met the required 60 percent or more of the score card’s performance-based measures. Pace highlighted some of Cruz’s achievements, which included overseeing AISD’s highest graduation rate ever, 89.7 percent, and helping to increase the public’s favorable perception of AISD, reduce the decline in student enrollment and increase student performance on state testing. Cruz now makes a base salary of $306,363. With benefits, which include health insurance and a vehicle allowance, he makes about $329,000. His extended contract will expire in December 2019.