What Austin and Carstarphen Get

So Meria Carstarphen is now confirmed (by unanimous vote by the AISD Board of Trustees) as the next AISD superintendent, effective July 1.

Last night's meeting was basically a kumbaya chorus, as everyone tried to put the selection process behind them, and ignore the fact that there was no real mechanism put in place for any real public scrutiny of her selection. Everyone from the Chamber of Commerce to Education Austin was treating her appointment as a done deal right from the day she was announced as the entire short list. There's little doubt that she's a qualified candidate, but with no other options on the table, it's very easy to say she's the best possible candidate. It will be interesting to see whether there are any long-running consequences, either for her office or for the board next May, when five of the nine trustees are up for re-elections.

Quick breakdown of her contract:

– Four years, with the option for the district to extend to five
– $275,000 a year salary
– $25,000 a year capped performance bonus
– $15,000 annuity
– $1,000 a month automobile allowance
– Health insurance, relocation costs, and six months of temporary accommodation.

Newsdesk has already warned her to stock up on allergy medication.