Draud says No to more Dough

Following a couple of "hiccups," (the sick days; and of course, the car) Jon Draud tells C-J that he will not request a raise this year due to the difficult budget.

This from Toni Konz at C-J:

Education Commissioner Jon Draud
will not ask for a raise

Says it's unjustified with budget woes

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- He's still two months away from receiving his formal evaluation, but Kentucky Education Commissioner Jon Draud has told state school board members he does not want a raise in light of the state's financial deficit.

"I just don't think the economic conditions of the state justify me asking for a raise or increase in salary," Draud said yesterday.

The Kentucky Board of Education began the process of evaluating Draud during a closed session yesterday and will continue to talk about his performance today, but the results of the evaluation will not be made public until the board's next meeting in October, said Chairman Joe Brothers.

Draud has only been on the job for eight months, but the board is evaluating him now because it has historically evaluated its commissioner in August, Brothers said.

"Overall, I think he has done a great job," he said. "We've had a couple of hiccups on issues that are more about perception than substance, but he is working through those things."

One of those hiccups, Brothers said, is the way Draud has handled pressure from the media.

"I think it has been a learning experience for him," Brothers said. He said Draud needs to look at "the most appropriate way to answer a good, tough question that the public most certainly has a right to ask and a right to know."

In February, the board approved Draud's request to amend his contract to include 20 days of leave each year instead of the 12 days he was entitled to as a new state employee. The board also approved his request for a one-time bonus of 30 days of sick leave.

The request prompted some, including Gov. Steve Beshear, to question whether the increase was appropriate given the state's $900 million revenue shortfall and at a time when education funding at all levels was being slashed. A day later, Draud withdrew his request.

In March, the lease expired on the Ford Crown Victoria he had been driving and Draud ordered a 2008 Chrysler 300 to replace it. The car, which had a base price of $18,101 with standard equipment, ended up costing the state $30,697 because of add-ons Draud requested.

Draud's new car will be sold on eBay in December and he has said he will make the first bid on the car for $31,000 to ensure taxpayers recoup everything they spent.

He said he believes he has "handled all of (the controversy) in an honorable manner."

"I don't know many people in Frankfort that would give up sick leave, vacation time and buy a car that they don't necessarily want," he said.

Brothers did applaud Draud's effort in putting together two major task forces: one on how to improve low-performing schools and another looking at the state's assessment and accountability system.

Draud said he believes he has done a good job this year.

"Not to sound egotistical, but I am very comfortable that I have done a very good job and that I have worked very hard," he said.

Draud said two of his top priorities during the next year are to secure more funding for education and work with the state's lowest-performing schools.

"I have to make sure we do a better job with our low-performing schools and to get more out of the leadership of those schools," he said. "If we don't do that, we won't meet proficiency" standards for the federal No Child Left Behind law.