Midland ISD Superintendent Faces Termination

MIDLAND, TX — The future of the Midland ISD Superintendent remains uncertain after the school board took steps last Friday to terminate his contract early. Orlando Riddick has been with the district for three years.

During the Friday meeting, the school board members held an executive session for more than three hours to evaluate the work carried out by the superintendent. The school board had met for four hours last Monday to initially discuss the issue,

After more than seven combined hours of meetings, the school board president Rick Davis announced a special meeting will be scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The only item on the agenda will the consideration to propose mid-contract termination of the superintendent’s contract.

“The meeting was scheduled, and this item placed on the agenda because the board of trustees takes very seriously its role to hold the superintendent accountable for the academic performance of the district,” wrote Davis in an email. 

According to the school board, academic performance seems to be the driving force behind the move to terminate the contract early.

Since Riddick became superintendent, the school district has seen an increase in failing campuses. 

But even as performance in schools has decreased, Midland ISD staff and teachers received an increase in pay. The district also failed to pass a bond campaign.

“A little over 3 1/2 years ago, the board established three-year goals and goal progress measures for student achievement and subsequently began the search for a new superintendent,” wrote Davis.

“We made clear that our next superintendent would be evaluated on achievement of those goals and goal progress measures. Mr. Riddick applied, agreed to be evaluated on such metrics, and was hired.  A review of those metrics for the last three years shows that he has not met our expectations for improving the academic performance of the district.”

Riddick’s contract is set to expire on June 30, 2022. To terminate the contract early, the district would have to follow certain steps.

“The board would first take action to propose mid-contract termination. The superintendent would then be provided written notice that includes the reasons for termination,” said the school district in a statement. “He then has 15 days to request a hearing from an independent hearing examiner. If he does not request a hearing, the board could then take final action at the next board meeting.”

Riddick was hired in 2017 and his yearly salary is currently $275,000.