WESLACO, Texas - In a report on Saturday, the San Antonio-based Rivard Report said IDEA Public Schools will pay former CEO Tom Torkelson $900,000.
Previously, the online news organization broke the story of Torkelson’s resignation. At the time of the resignation, IDEA officials did not release Torkelson’s separation agreement or his contract as CEO. Through an open records request, The Rivard Report was able to obtain both. Click here to read the agreement.
The chairman of IDEA’s board of directors is Al Lopez. The Rivard Report said Lopez wrote to funders and leadership team members on Friday, pointing out that the $900,000 equates to Torkelson’s salary and performance bonus last year. Click here to read Lopez’s letter.
Both Torkelson and IDEA agreed to not publicize the transition package agreement. However, it is subject to the Texas Public Information Act.
Lopez said IDEA has introduced new policies designed to strengthen governance and accountability. The new policies prohibit access to private air travel, business, and first-class seating on commercial flights.
The Rivard Report quoted Lopez as saying IDEA has “clarified guidelines regarding what constitutes appropriate IDEA development and networking activities, including reasonable costs and specifying that official IDEA functions should take place at IDEA properties whenever feasible.”
“With the benefit of hindsight, the board and IDEA’s management team wish some things had been done differently,” Lopez wrote. “We have embraced recent criticism and feedback as an opportunity to show how high-performing public charter school systems can respond and evolve quickly to do what is required of them.”
The Rio Grande Guardian obtained one of the last audio interviews with Torkelson before his resignation from IDEA. Around the same time it interviewed state Sen. Jose Menendez of San Antonio, who was critical of IDEA’s use of funds for private jets and entertainment.
In his interview, Torkelson said no taxpayer money was used to hire a private jet or pay for a suite to watch San Antonio Spurs games. However, he said he accepted the criticism that was coming his way. "If you are explaining, you are losing," he said.
This podcast contains the interviews with Torkelson and Menendez.
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