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The Bostrton School Committee gave Superintendent Carol R. Johnsonlow marks in many areas on her most recent evaluation, revealingrare discontent among some members over her leadership less than ayear after her contract was renewed with much fanfare. The evaluation, conducted Jan. 31 at a School Committee retreat andobtained by the Globe this week under a public records request,highlighted Johnson"s difficulties in addressing severalhighly charged issues. Chief among the concerns: her slowness in fixing chronically latebuses, causing a frustrated Mayor Thomas M. Menino to directlyintervene; and her ill-fated proposal to relocate Boston LatinAcademy last summer and a subsequent replacement plan that expandsand changes the location of several popular schools, which hasgenerated mixed reactions among parents and students. The facilities plan remains contentious, as the City Councildeliberates on an $18.6 million loan order to pay for the changes. Johnson received good marks in other areas, most notably foraligning the annual operating budget to academic priorities anddeveloping positive relationships with government officials andoutside organizations. At least two members said her performancemerited a bonus. Menino said he remains strongly behind Johnson. "Is she perfect? No one is perfect,"" he said inan interview. "But she has done a good job of moving thesystem forward. We have more overchosen schools than ever before. .. I have to give her credit. There is a lot of fight in her.She"s tenacious."" The committee rates performance on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1meaning performance exceeds expectations and 4 designating afailure to meet the standards and an unsatisfactory rating.Overall, Johnson received an average rating of 2.67, putting herclose to a 3, a designation for a performance that does not fullymeet the standards and expectations and needs improvement. The lackluster rating by the seven-member committee, which isappointed by the mayor, was in sharp contrast to previous reviews. After Johnson"s first school year, 2007-08, the committeegave her a flattering 1.8, while evaluations for her second andthird years were 2.1 and 2.0, respectively. Those reviews wereoften followed up with glowing press releases, or in the case oflast year, an extension of her contract until 2015. This year, there were no such proclamations. The Rev. GregoryGroover, the committee"s chairman, said members largelyremain committed to Johnson and that evaluations from two membersnegatively skewed the results. "I think she met our expectations,"" Grooversaid. "I think it was a very challenging and difficult yearfor the school district, particularly aroundtransportation."" But he added, "Generally speaking, we feel we are stillmoving in the right direction under her leadership."" Johnson declined an interview request through a spokesman Thursday,instead releasing a statement. "We are proud of the progress our school district made in the2011 calendar year,"" she said. "While there ismuch to celebrate, we recognize there is also room for improvementin several key areas. Our obligation each day is to serve thestudents of this city at a very high level. When we don"tmeet that obligation, it is our responsibility to make swiftchanges."" Johnson, who arrived from Memphis in 2007, earns $266,750 annually.Through the years, she has repeatedly told the committee she doesnot want a pay raise or a performance bonus, even in light of goodreviews. This year, the committee appeared willing to offer her a bonus. Ina letter to Johnson dated April 10, Groover and MichaelO"Neill, the committee"s vice chairman, wrote,"While your performance continues to meet expectations and isdeserving of the salary increase and performance bonus specified inyour renewed contract . . we again honor your decision to notaccept the increase or bonus due to the continued economicrealities."" It is unclear how many other members agreed with that assessment.The letter was delivered to the other members only Wednesday nightfor their consultation, after the School Department discovered lastweek the letter was never sent, said Groover. At that time, thedepartment was processing the Globe"s public records request. One member, Mary Tamer, who has two children enrolled in thecity"s school system, said Thursday that she did not believethat Johnson"s performance last year was worthy of a bonus.Tamer wrote one of the most critical evaluations of Johnson thisyear, giving her almost all 3"s and 4"s. "I don"t recall that conversation ever taking placeduring the evaluation about whether the performance metexpectations and deserves a salary increase and a performancebonus,"" said Tamer. "I"m surprised to seeit"" in the letter, she said. The Globe filed its public records request on May 14. The SchoolDepartment had committee members "review"" thematerials first, and then released them late Wednesday afternoon,hours after a critical City Council vote on a loan order to fundrenovations necessary to change some school locations. The evaluation had been shrouded in secrecy. The committee plannedto discuss it in a private session during the second day of aretreat at Northeastern University on Jan. 31, according to a copyof a meeting posting obtained under the public records request. But on Jan. 30, members discovered that a private discussion wouldviolate the state"s Open Meeting Law and reposted the meetingas a public session, Groover said. No agendas or minutes of themeeting have been available on the School Department"swebsite. Minutes obtained by the Globe offer only a vaguetwo-sentence summary of the discussion. Members judge the superintendent in five categories: academicleadership; finance, administration and operations; human capitaland talent management; external relations; and relationship withthe School Committee. Each of those include subcategories. The harshest evaluation came from committee member ClaudioMartinez, who doled out 4"s across the board. "Given the general and consistent disregard for my input[verbal and written] and requests for action on key matters ofimportance to me during the last performance review period,I"m giving the superintendent a 4 on all areas,""he wrote in an e-mail on Jan. 29, obtained by the Globe. Committee member Alfreda Harris was the most generous in herappraisal, giving almost all 1"s and 2"s and writingfew comments. She did assign a 4 for transportation. Harrisdeclined to discuss the evaluation, but praised Johnson ashardworking and sincere. Try BostonGlobe.com today and get two weeks FREE. James Vaznis can be reached at . I am an expert from grocerystoreshelves.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Convenience Store Shelves , China Countertop Display Rack, Custom Made Book Shelves,and more.
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