Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland will issue a huge payout for outgoing Superintendent Terry Alban just days after the board of education announced her departure.
The Board of Education of Frederick County announced Alban’s retirement was effective Dec. 13.
According to a separation and settlement agreement signed on Monday, the school system will pay Alban more than $800,000 to part ways.
According to the announcement, nearly half of the money she’ll receive — more than $367,000 — will be paid for earned time off that she did not take.
Har departure came after a Dec. 1 announcement that the school district settled with federal investigators. That announcement confirmed that FCPS schools repeatedly secluded and restrained students with disabilities.
On Dec. 8, Superintendent Terry Alban was placed on administrative leave. The school board did not definitively link the personnel move to the settlement, but the school district formally announced that Alban would retire on Monday.
Alban has been with the school district for 11 years, and her current contract wasn’t set to expire until June of 2023. The school board appointed deputy superintendent Mike Markoe to serve as interim superintendent until at least June 2022.
In a statement released Tuesday, Markoe said that the community had a lot to overcome but that this leadership transition is a commitment he makes to grow and keep the school system strong.
“In the coming months, we are committed to systemic process improvement and frequent communication with an emphasis on the ‘why,'” Markoe said. “Please join us to continue building a stronger and brighter future for our students.”