Is the third time really the charm?  Deer Valley Unified Superintendant Virginia McElyea, and School Board President Christy Agosta certainly hope so!   Next week, McElyea will again attempt the highly profitable 'double-dip' - a move designed to increase her salary to probably the highest in the nation!  Agosta is leading the charge to allow McElyea to opt into a phased-retirement program, called Educational Services, Inc.(ESI)  In order to do so, McElyea will officially retire, both with the District and the State(ASRS), while then being contracted through ESI.    

     While receiving her retirement benefits from ASRS, she would also receive 80% of her current salary($171K) - and retain all benefits to the position as well, including TSA contributions, car allowances and professional development.  It is also speculated that after one year of ASRS participation, McElyea would then decline the ESI program, and be rehired as a normally contracted Superintendant - meaning she would then receive at least the $171K plus her ASRS benefits - the ULTIMATE double-dip!

     Many eligible DVUSD teachers are actually afraid to opt into a phased-retirement program - a system initially designed to benefit veteran teachers, by offering the ability to do just what McElyea is doing.  The big difference is that teachers do NOT get rehired at the same, or greater, salary if they wish to return to unretired status.  They typically have to restart somewhere near the beginning of the payscale!

     The school board - any school board - has only one employee accountable directly to them the Superintendant.  Every other employee is accountable to the Superintendant and his/her subordinates.  When McElyea begins her phased-retirement, she will no longer be an employee of the DVUSD, leaving the Board, at least in theory(if not in practice), with no one directly accountable to them.  In Deer Valley, it seems like it has been that way for a long time!