Marysville Schools still paying recently removed superintendent more than $400K

The financially destitute Marysville School District is offering former Superintendent Zachery Robbins, Ph.D., more than $400,000 over the next year after the district’s school board voted to replace him.

A spokesperson sent MyNorthwest the Separation and Severance Agreement between the district and Robbins. The agreement includes $29,150 per month through October of next year in addition to health, dental and vision care for Robbins and his family. He’s also set to receive $1,526.66 for every sick and vacation day he has accrued.

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The payment also includes a lump sum of $50,000 for moving expenses, job search travel, lodging expenses, attorney’s fees and expenses in securing new housing.

A district spokesperson said in an email Robbins is not taking his full contract payout.

“As a matter of practice, the district does not comment on the terms of individual employment agreements and will not provide further comments,” the district spokesperson told MyNorthwest.

In recent years, the district, which has close to 10,000 students, lost out on two levies and voters downsized a four-year levy last year. In August, state auditors said the district was spending much more money than they were taking in, and they worried the district wouldn’t be able to meet its financial obligations.

The state placed the district under enhanced financial oversight. Special Administrator Arthur Jarvis, Ph.D., is now overseeing the district’s finances and approved the severance agreement for Robbins.

In their severance agreement, the district has also agreed to defend Robbins and pay attorney fees if he is sued over actions taken as superintendent. He would be allowed to select his own legal counsel at a rate up to $550 per hour.

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“The School Board would like to thank Dr. Robbins for providing high-quality service to the students, staff and community of the Marysville School District since Dr. Robbins began his tenure in July 2022,” a Marysville School District spokesperson said in a statement. “During his tenure, the district has had many successes, including a rise in student test scores across all subjects in state-wide exams, an increase in AP participation rates, safety measures to lower behavioral incidents, successful efforts to pass a school levy, securing state capital funds to help repair aging buildings and implementing a data management system to help schools access and use data on performance, attendance, graduation and behavior for better decision-making.”

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal has said if Marysville School District leaders don’t meet criteria set by the state, the district could be dissolved altogether.

Luke Duecy is a reporter for KIRO Newsradio