CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – On Friday, after several months of friction regarding the salary increase for Millard House II, the director of schools for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, the district announced House had taken a position in Houston, Texas.
House was unanimously appointed by the Houston Independent School District’s Board of Trustees to be their new superintendent, and with a salary that’s double what he was making in Clarksville.
The new gig
House’s new school district has 30,000 employees and serves more than 200,000 students attending 276 schools, making HISD over five times larger than CMCSS.
Not only that, but the district is the seventh largest in the nation, and with that one can expect the superintendent’s salary would also be one of the largest.
Dennis Spellman, senior media relations specialist at HISD, told Clarksville Now that House’s new salary and contract with HISD has not been finalized. However, Spellman did say the salary of HISD’s interim superintendent, whom House is replacing, would be an indicator of what to expect.
For the 2019-20 school year, Grenita Lanthan, HISD’s interim superintendent, was paid $345,060 according to data published by KTRK-TV Houston.
Lathan had been with the school district since 2018, and was allegedly denied the permanent superintendent position but has since taken a superintendent job in Missouri according to KHOU.
Next steps
There is a lot of uncertainty about how CMCSS will fill House’s shoes for the upcoming 2021-22 school year.
Anthony Johnson, chief communications officer for CMCSS, told Clarksville Now the next steps in finding House’s replacement will be up to the School Board.
“To reassure the community, Mr. House is committed to ensuring there is well-ordered transition. CMCSS has strong systems and processes as well as strong school- and district-level leaders to maintain efficient and effective operations through the transition,” Johnson said.
The next CMCSS school board formal meeting is on June 8 at 621 Gracey Ave.