Hartford Superintendent of Schools Christina M. Kishimoto released a statement today announcing she will not seek a bonus based on her performance over the past year.
Kishimoto is eligible for up to $30,000 in performance pay each year under the terms of her contract. After her board evaluation last month, she was told she would not receive a bonus this year.
“I believe that pursuit of a bonus, even if contractually obligated, is an unnecessary distraction at this point from the shared responsibility the Board members and I have to continue the important work that has raised student achievement in Hartford by record levels over the past five years,” Kishimoto said in the statement.
In the statement, Kishimoto says that even though she is concerned with the way her recent board review was conducted, she will not pursue the bonus.
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Kishimoto was given a 56-percent rating by the board. Nearly half of that score was composed of categories in which she was rated on a scale from 1 to 5.
According to the Hartford Courant, she received received a 1.6 on the topic of board relations; 3.0 on educational leadership; 2.4 on engaging stakeholders; and 3.3 on strategic organizing of resources.
Jeffrey Mirman, Kishimoto’s attorney, argued that because she received 10.3 out of a possible 20 points, she was eligible for a little more than half of the bonus.
But Kishimoto said in a statement today that rather than fight with the board, she wishes to focus her attention on bettering their relationship for the benefit of the students.
“We recognize that we still have a long way to go, in order to ensure academic, career and
personal success for all Hartford students,” Kishimoto’s statement reads. “For this reason, I look forward to working closer with the board to deepen and accelerate a shared commitment to school reform and enhanced student achievement toward the goal of college and career readiness.”
