Grading the boss: Superintendent scorecard

The school board Monday released the scorecard they used to evaluate Superintendent Heath Morrison on his first year as head of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.  It asks each member to rate him on 13 items using a 1-5 scale  (read about their decision to extend his contract and beef up his retirement benefits here).

Morrison and board member Tom Tate

Evaluation items include Morrison's ability to develop effective strategies,  communicate with the school board,  develop a budget, recruit and retain principals and top administrators,  and build relationships with key decision-makers.  Because N.C. law makes personnel actions confidential,  the board released the form but not the ratings given by members.

The new evaluation system looks a lot more practical than the 93-item checklist a previous board used for Superintendent Peter Gorman,  with items ranging from test scores to personal grooming.

Morrison's contract called for his goals and objectives to be set by Sept. 30,  but board Chair Mary McCray said he agreed to the delay.  It also calls for the board and Morrison to agree on goals for the coming year between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30 of each year.  I'm still trying to get answers about whether this set of goals will apply to 2013-14 or whether there are revisions.

The contract also says that two-thirds of Morrison's bonus eligibility will be based on achievement of CMS goals.  That wasn't a factor this time around,  given that the board awarded retirement increases instead of a bonus.  I'm pretty sure those goals going forward will be the ones approved in October with a whole lot of blanks left to fill in as data becomes available. Update: McCray confirms that this is correct.

Morrison to get overdue evaluation, bonus

Update: I guessed right about the things the board would say about Morrison, but they voted for retirement benefits instead of a bonus. Read the story here. Hope to get the standards posted soon.

The school board will hold a special meeting this morning to vote on Superintendent Heath Morrison's first evaluation and performance bonus.

Morrison

Board chair Mary McCray said the standards used to rate him will be released after the vote. They're long overdue.  The contract signed when Morrison came to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in 2012 called for the board to  "discuss and agree upon"  his first-year goals by Sept. 30, 2012.  By Sept. 30 of this year,  they were supposed to have set his 2013-14 goals,  and by Oct. 31 they were due to vote on his 2012-13 bonus.

McCray says Morrison agreed to the delay,  as the district awaited the delayed results of new and tougher 2013 exams.  She said those results,  which plunged statewide,  won't be counted against Morrison but will serve as a baseline moving forward  (see results in links at right).

McCray

Morrison's contract makes him eligible for a bonus of up to 10 percent of his $288,000 base salary,  with two-thirds of that based on achievement of CMS goals and one-third based on individual goals or any other criteria the board might set.

On Friday,  McCray wasn't willing to talk about what the board is looking for,  or even say whether changes to his base salary are being discussed.  "All of that will be done on Monday,"  she said.

My prediction is Morrison will get high marks for creating an entry plan and a five-year strategic plan.  He's bound to get credit for strong community engagement,  including creation of 22 task forces,  with the payoff seen in a record 74 percent of voters saying yes to CMS bonds.  Few would say employee morale is high,  but many people I've talked to give Morrison credit for listening to them and trying to do the right thing in the face of discouraging state actions.

Morrison's predecessor,  Peter Gorman,  faced a 93-item evaluation checklist that ranged from the obvious  (test scores and graduation rates)  to the eccentric  (rating him on "poise and emotional stability"  and being  "customarily attired and well groomed"). If the current board wants to carry on that tradition,  they might want to add an item for dance skills.  I think it's a safe bet to say Morrison is the first CMS superintendent caught on video doing hip grinds and air splits: