The Syracuse City School District has sought to cut a potential contract with the former superintendent almost in half.
This comes after multiple news reports and a criticism from one incoming Board of Education commissioner.
In September, SCSD staff informed the school board that they wanted to contract with TD22 Consulting, LLC to provide coaching and transition support. Anthony Davis, then superintendent, owns TD22 Consulting. He retired Oct. 31. The district would have paid Davis’s company up to $125,000 for work through June 2026.
The district this week proposed a new version of the contract, according to a school board agenda. Changes include a payment reduction to $72,917 and a larger emphasis on coaching principals. Several high schools have new principals this year.
In September, the district planned to pay Davis $125,000 for a 10-month contract, lasting from September to June, SCSD Spokesperson Amanda Malinowski said in an email to syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Davis would have earned $12,500 a month and payments would not have started until after he retired, Malinowski said.
Staff revised it to $125,000 for 12 months of work, or about $10,416.67 per month, Malinowski said. The new monthly amount was pro-rated for seven months of work.
“Davis was the one to recommend that change,” Malinowski said.
Davis would be the second retired executive to get a contract working for SCSD this year.
In August, the board approved a two-year, $125,000 contract with Silver Moon Data Compliance and Consulting. Timothy Moon, the former chief information officer who retired this summer, owns Silver Moon Consulting.
Tara Jennings, a former assistant superintendent and principal, took over as the chief information officer. Pamela Odom, the assistant superintendent with more than 30 of years experience at SCSD, is the new superintendent. SCSD did not conduct a search for a new superintendent.
Board of Education commissioner-elect Michael Root called this a “revolving door type of policy” in a previous interview.
The new contract will be presented at a work session on Nov. 19. It will then be brought to a vote at the Dec. 10 business meeting.
The revised contract includes more specific work requirements for TD22 Consulting. Previously, the district proposed the agency reviewing district plans and ensuring compliance with state regulations.
The new contract proposal states TD22 Consulting will review and assist with the implementation of the School Comprehensive Educational Plan and the Professional Development Plan, while also ensuring compliance with state regulations.
The former proposal would use funds from the chief school administrator budget while the new one plans to budget the $72,917 from the regular school teaching fund.
