Last year the Nebraska Unicameral passed the Superintendent Pay Transparency Act. The Act requires school districts to publicize publish both the superintendent’s contract and a "reasonable estimates and descriptions of all current and future costs." Most districts and ESUs have just added another tab or link on the homepage of their website under which the superintendent’s contract and a copy of “Schedule C” from the state auditor can be found.
Now, as school boards are renewing superintendents’ contracts, many schools have questions about how to comply with the Act as part of the renewal process. When the board is preparing to renew a superintendent’s contract the board must:
Post a Notice of the proposed contract and related costs 3 days before the board meeting at which the contract will be approved or amended;
Publish a copy of the contract and the related costs within 2 days after the meeting at which the contract is approved;
Publish updated data any time the contract is amended; and
Provide a copy of the contract and any subsequent amendments to the NDE by August 1st following the adoption or amendment of the contract.
Any new contract, changes to an existing contract, or automatic renewals should comply with the posting requirements discussed above. For example, if the board and superintendent agree to amend the superintendent's contract in January of 2014, the district should post Notice 3 days before the meeting, update the posting on the website within 2 days after the meeting, and send a copy of the newly-amended contract to the NDE.
If you have questions, we recommend that you consult with your school district’s attorney or call Karen, Steve or Bobby.