Former Salt Lake City superintendent to receive $200,000 in a separation agreement

The Salt Lake City School District will pay former Superintendent Timothy Gadson III nearly $200,000 for his consulting services through next summer, according to a separation agreement between both parties.

By the numbers: Gadson will continue to be paid about $18,300 per month until his contract expires on June 30 — regardless of any actual consulting services he provides.

• He'll receive $20,660 in unused vacation and an additional $7,231 in unused personal leave.
• The district will also pay Gadson's COBRA health insurance, as well as his attorney fees of $15,000.
• In future employment inquiries, the district's HR director will provide a "neutral reference" of Gadson, the agreement showed.

Context: The agreement comes more than a week after Gadson, the first Black superintendent of a Utah school district, announced he would resign due to personal reasons amid a dispute with the board.

Catch up quick: Gadson was placed on leave by the district's board of education in July for unspecified reasons. Board members also offered him a buyout worth four months of his salary to resign voluntarily.

• Black community leaders called criticism of Gadson's professionalism and hiring practices "racist" and based on stereotypes of Black professionals.

• An internal investigation determined Gadson — nor the district — did not commit any wrongdoing.

Between the lines: Gadson is the second superintendent to resign from the district in two years.

• Lexi Cunningham resigned in 2020 after reportedly being pushed out by the board.

What's next: Former Granite School District Superintendent Martin Bates will replace Gadson in the interim.