Mike Miles’ DISD House-Cleaning is Under Way

You knew it was coming. Incoming DISD chief Mike Miles laid it out pretty clearly during his first presentation to the DISD school board last week, to say nothing of his reformist track record in Colorado Springs. But a month and a half before Miles’ official July 1 start date, details about which heads are going to roll at the district are now emerging.

Yesterday, 68 mid-level administrators received notice that they will need to reapply for their jobs, going through an interview process and competing with whoever else who decides to apply, if they want to stay with DISD.

The kicker is that they will be competing for only 36 positions, leaving 32 (or more) current employees out of work. Eleven vacant positions are being eliminated.

“There is no better time for change to take place,” Miles said in a press release about the changes. “As the end of the school year approaches, it makes sense to reorganize now so that there is as much time as possible to focus on improving the quality of instruction, raising student achievement and supporting the culture and climate of each school in Dallas ISD.”

Essentially, Miles is wiping clear the bottom branches of =””
the org chart[/CGATAGCLOSE> and starting from scratch. Under former Superintendent Michael Hinajosa, each of the district’s executive directors oversaw a few dozen principals grouped geographically and by level (e.g. primary, secondary, magnets).

In Miles’ scheme, each executive director will be in charge of fewer  than 10 principals. Five assistant superintendents, the rung above executive director, will bear ultimate responsibilty for their portfolio of schools, which will be organized not geographically but so that each is on level ground when it comes to evaluations.

The News reported that those jobs that will be up for grabs would be posted this morning, but I haven’t seen anything yet on DISD’s jobs page.