Saunders Settlement Agreement in Grade Inflation Scandal

BRADENTON – Facing reprimand from the Department of Education for her role in a grade inflation scandal, Manatee Schools Superintendent Cynthia Saunders had her proposed settlement agreement rejected this week.

At a meeting Tuesday, the state's Education Practices Commission voted unanimously to reject the agreement, which would allow Saunders to avoid probation and a fine, unless she took a position that requires an educator certificate, which her current post does not.

Using words like "fraud" and calling the proposed punishment "weak," board members expressed concern over the leniency of the settlement offer.

Saunders, who the state found had directed employees to deliberately miscode dropouts in order to inflate the district's graduation rates, has said she brought the practice to Manatee from her position in Marion County when she followed former superintendent Dianna Greene here in 2013.

Saunders noted that no one had questioned the practice while it was employed before she became superintendent. Board members did not feel that was an adequate excuse for someone leading a school district, noting that teachers and coaches are routinely held to a higher standard.

Saunders replaced Greene in the top spot, being named interim superintendent when the latter took the top post in Duval County in July of last year, a day before the latter's ERP program would go live, eventually causing the district to lose tens of millions of dollars.

Saunders was already under investigation by the state with credible evidence of the charges when the board voted 3-2 in February to make her the permanent superintendent, with a three-year contract that included compensation totaling over $200,000 annually. Board members Dave Miner, Scott Hopes, and James Golden voted in favor of the action, while Gina Messenger and Charlie Kennedy dissented.

Saunders can now either keep negotiating settlement terms or take the matter to the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings.

After the hearing, Saunders released the following statement through the district:

"As I explore all further options in this matter, I remain confident that I will prevail on the merits. I am grateful for the continued support and my focus remains on the mission of providing the best possible education for all Manatee County students."