FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Broward County School Board met Tuesday to vote on its negotiated contract agreement with new Superintendent Peter B. Licata.
All board members except for Torey Alston and Brenda Fam voted last month to hire Peter Licata, a regional superintendent for the Palm Beach district and a Boynton Beach resident.
“This is a dream job,” said Licata. “One of the things we talked about is the disjoined efforts on a lot of the issues here, and that has to stop.”
Licata has worked for Palm Beach schools since September 1994. In addition to his work as a regional superintendent, he’s been a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal and curriculum director.
He has a doctorate degree in global leadership from Lynn University, in addition to a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami and a master’s degree from Barry University.
He was one of three finalists for the position. Alston and Fam voted to hire Sito Narcisse, the superintendent for the East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana school district.
What was supposed to be a quick meeting stretched into the noon hour, with board members debating small details of the contract, which would pay Licata $350,000 per year over three years, with a $10,000 bonus if the district achieves and maintains an “A” rating.
The board also approved include a requirement of regular analyses reporting regarding student achievement, performance and test scores, as well as requirement of a mere simple majority in the in the instance that the board would want to terminate Licata without cause, rather than a supermajority.
The topic was being hotly discussed into the afternoon, with a back-and-forth with Licata’s attorney.
The board eventually voted, unanimously, to hire Licata with immediate effect.
“Negotiations over there were a little unique for me but really it was great. It tells a tale,” Licata said. “Right now, the longevity of superintendents is not great in the state of Florida.. I want to buck that trend.”
Licata added: “I have to trust them (the board) right now and they have to trust me to lead this district to the next level.”
In addition to the other requirements, Licata will have to live in Broward County per his contract.
The meeting will be followed immediately by a news conference.