Katy ISD Superintendent To Receive $750,000 Severance Pay

KATY, TX — Katy ISD superintendent Dr. Lance Hindt announced Thursday he will resign on Jan. 1 2019. And Thursday the district said it will pay him a hefty severance package for leaving the district.

The Katy ISD Board of Trustees approved a payout package of at least $750,000 by a 7-0 vote Thursday night, but details weren't released until 4 p.m. Friday, according to a report by ABC13.com.

Hindt has been accused by a former classmate that Hindt violently bullied him when they were children. And though the Katy ISD plans to move forward with a lawsuit protecting the school district's reputation, Hindt said the resignation is to pull himself away from "ugly accusations."

“I can not justify putting my wife and family through it any more,” said Hindt, who'll remain in the district through the transition period while the district searches for a new superintendent.

Katy ISD is one of the more high-profile districts in the state. With 63 schools, including seven four-year high schools, and more than 70,000 students, KISD was given the highest possible rating by the Texas Education Agency. KISD has an annual budget of more than $780 million.

KISD Board members feel the bullying accusations against Hindt have not only affected the superintended and his family, but they've sullied the district's reputation and led to less-qualified candidates in the sight-after district. Thus are the reasons district attorneys will still file defamation lawsuits on behalf of the district.

Hindt spoke publicly Thursday and said the accusations were more than he and his family should endure. Board members spoke out against those who've accused Hindt of bullying.

On the other hand, Greg Gay, the former classmate who came forth with the bullying accusations, said he would've rather seen Hindt remain at his job and oversee tougher anti-bullying policies in the district — having been an accused bully who could apply solid principles.

Hindt was named as Superintendent of Schools for Katy ISD in June 2016. He officially joined the school district on August 1, 2016.

While serving as superintendent, Dr. Hindt has led the District through the implementation of a number of high level initiatives benefiting both Katy ISD students and the community. Under his leadership, Katy ISD remains a destination school district in the state of Texas, and continues to receive recognition for excellence in education.

Under his leadership, Katy ISD has maintained its standing as a frontrunner in public education and has received the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) highest rating, “Met Standard,” for all campuses. In addition, the most recent TEA reports (2016-17) show eight Katy ISD campuses as having met 100 percent of their eligible Distinction Designations, highlighting outstanding achievement at the highest levels in comparison to campuses with similar demographics.

Photo via Katy ISD