New Framingham Assistant Superintendent Will Collect 2 Paychecks

Framingham’s new Assistant Superintendent of Schools Frank Tiano will be receiving two paychecks, over the next six months.

The first paycheck will come from the Framingham Public Schools, when he starts next week on July 20.

The second paycheck will come from his former school district in Chelmsford, where he was superintendent since 2010.

Tiano, Framingham Superintendent of School Stacy Scott’s choice for assistant superintendent, was approved by the Framingham School Committee during a special meeting on Monday, June 29 by a 4-1-1 vote.

Tiano and the Chelmsford School Committee came to a mutual decision to have Tiano leave the district as of July 1, 2015, and signed an agreement in March 2015.

Last Friday, the Lowell Sun, a daily newspaper that covers Chelmsford, made public that agreement.

Originally, the Chelmsford School Committee rejected the newspaper’s records request for the agreement in April. The daily newspaper then appealed to the state supervisor of records. The ruling to release details of the agreement, came after Tiano was hired in Framingham.

Tiano, who was paid $162,000 as Chelmsford Superintendent, and negotiated a $140,000 total compensation settlement to leave.

In the agreement, Tiano and the Chelmsford School Committee agreed hat he would continue to be paid through January, 31, 2016, if he had not been hired as a “superintendent or interim superintendent” by October 1.

Since he was hired as Framingham’s assistant superintendent, Tiano will continue to get the “safety net” paychecks from October 1 through January 31.

The March 31 2015 agreement also included non-disclosure and non-disparagement clauses for both Tiano and the Chelmsford School Committee.

According to the Lowell Sun, if a Chelmsford School Committee member had violated either provision before release of the document as a public record, Tiano would have been automatically guaranteed to be paid for the four-month safety net period from October 1 through January 31, 2016.

But under the agreement, even though it has been made public now, both Tiano and the Chelmsford School Committee are subject to the non-disparagement provision.

The document contains a recommendation letter for Tiano by Chelmsford School Committee Chair Michael Rigney, The agreement also required Rigney to provide “oral references.” for Tiano.

Tiano and the School Committee in Chelmsford came to an agreement for him to leave as Superintendent, after financial mismanagement issues, a no confidence vote from the teacher’s union, and a communication issue in regards to a teacher’s aide arrested.

Former Framingham Assistant Superintendent Mark Prince, who left the district after one year, made $135,000.

The Framingham School Committee set a salary range for the new assistant superintendent, said Framingham School Committee Chair Beverly Hugo.

Tiano’s salary in Framingham has not been released publicly, but Hugo said last week the range was lower than what he was making in Chelmsford as Superintendent.

Earlier this month, the Framingham Public Schools advertised for an executive administrative assistant to serve as the ‘confidential secretary’ to the newly hired assistant superintendent.

Tiano and Scott knew each other before Tiano was hired here in Framingham.

Scott started as Dracut Superintendent in 2010. Dracut borders Chelmsford, and the two school district’s share an educational collaborative.

Scott came to Framingham as Superintendent in July 2012.