The Tulsa School Board extends the contract of Tulsa School Superintendent Deborah Gist for another three years.
Under the plan, she will get around a quarter of a million dollars a year, plus bonuses. This makes her the highest paid common-education official in the state.
Superintendent Gist’s contract is essentially the same as her initial 2015-2018 contract with two updates:
- At the request of the superintendent, her June 2018 retention bonus will decrease by 9% and her June 2021 retention bonus will decrease by 28%;
- The superintendent's performance incentive - if earned - will take the form of a contribution to her retirement rather than as a cash bonus.
Board Member Jenettie Marshall voted against the deal. She told fellow board members the deal was not appropriate at a time when teachers have not had a raise.
Statement from Superintendent Dr. Gist:
I am humbled, grateful, and beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to lead the phenomenal team at Tulsa Public Schools for another three years. I was ecstatic to come home to Tulsa in 2015, and the joy that I experience each day as I follow my calling to serve Tulsa children and families has only grown. This has always been my dream job, and I feel blessed and incredibly fortunate to continue this journey to make Tulsa Public Schools the nation’s destination for excellence in teaching and learning.