Mobile County Public School System teachers and support staff are entering the summer with a bit of extra hope, as the district prepares to hand its top job to a new leader for the first time in six years. Chresal Threadgill, currently serving as chief of staff for MCPSS, is set to officially become superintendent in July, and representatives for local educators say the transition has so far been encouraging.
The Alabama Education Association, which represents the interests of public school teachers and support staff across the state, has at times found itself at odds with MCPSS administrators. Just last year, the organization took the district to court after outgoing Superintendent Martha Peek moved to limit outside groups’ access to school campuses, a decision AEA argued could hamper its ability to represent members in disputes with administrators. The two sides eventually reached a resolution outside the courtroom.
Peek, who has led MCPSS for six years, said disagreements with AEA were a natural part of the job but that she maintains “great respect” for the organization. “With any relationship, there are some times you agree and some times you disagree, but what’s important is that, in the end, we continue to work together,” she said. “It’s a lot like marriage. Sometimes there are bumps in the road, but you work through them.”
Jesse McDaniel, the local AEA representative who has fielded many of those disputes on behalf of teachers and support staff, described the relationship between the union and the district in similar terms. “AEA and MCPSS are just opposite sides of the same coin,” he said, noting both sides are ultimately working toward the same goal of serving teachers and students. “There will always be a degree of friction, but we should not allow that fact to cloud our judgment. Public education is a pretty tough line of work in the first place. We can either work together to improve both morale and student achievement or we can waste energy and resources fighting each other. Fortunately, we have a choice in the matter.”
Threadgill, who won’t officially take over for a little more than a month, recently sat down for a question-and-answer session with AEA that appeared in the organization’s summer newsletter. Unlike Peek, who has not held an AEA membership in decades, Threadgill said he intends to keep the membership he has carried throughout his career. He described AEA’s role in public education as an advocate for members who “holistically do a great job.”
The interview gave local educators a look at the management approach Threadgill plans to bring to the district’s central office. He did not shy away from describing the high standards he expects to set. “I require all employees to give 110 percent each day while maintaining a level of integrity in all that they do,” Threadgill said. “Of course, we have those that fall short of those expectations, and when this happens I am disappointed, but, as a leader, it is my responsibility to continue growing all individuals into the productive team members needed for the success of the organization.”
McDaniel said AEA’s priorities heading into the transition include reducing what he called unnecessary paperwork and excessive testing requirements, pushing for strict enforcement of the Student Code of Conduct, and strengthening the district’s financial position without resorting to layoffs or outsourcing.
On the paperwork issue, Threadgill told AEA he wants teachers to be able to focus on instruction rather than “the load of cumbersome, time-consuming and unnecessary paperwork” many currently face, though he acknowledged some requirements tied to federal and state programs are outside the district’s control.
Threadgill also addressed the district’s finances, telling AEA that part of his transition plan includes “an evaluation of all third-party vendors” to determine whether continuing those contracts serves the best interest of MCPSS students. He also discussed how salary costs affect the district’s reserve fund, which has fallen short of state requirements in recent years.
The Alabama State Department of Education requires school systems to keep a reserve equal to one month of operating expenses. For MCPSS, that benchmark works out to roughly $36.8 million, but the district has only set aside about half that amount. Asked how he would close the gap, Threadgill pointed to what he called “some obvious personnel overages” that have strained the budget and said the district “must begin trimming” those costs.
It would not be the first time Threadgill has pushed to rein in personnel expenses. In his current role as chief of staff, he pitched a retirement incentive bonus earlier this year for higher-earning administrators, and the early results may already be visible. The $20,000 bonus was offered to employees earning more than $75,000 annually who had at least 30 years with the district, or 10 years for those 62 and older.
According to MCPSS spokeswoman Rena Philips, 20 qualifying employees accepted the buyout, a move the district estimates could save between $1 million and $2 million depending on which positions are eventually filled and at what salary. While the district has not disclosed which employees took the offer, seven principal vacancies have since opened across MCPSS, and several top earners in the central office have announced plans to retire later this year.
Asked for AEA’s first impression of the incoming superintendent, McDaniel said it was reassuring to see Threadgill acknowledge the concerns of local members, adding that he appears “open to working with the AEA to solve problems of mutual concern.” McDaniel said Threadgill has already met with AEA staffers and local association leadership with an emphasis on building relationships and improving communication between the union and the district.
“Threadgill has also indicated a willingness to shake up the status quo at MCPSS central office,” McDaniel said. “So from our perspective, the transition is going well.”