There has been a controversy with the Des Moines Public School district going on and people are not afraid to put their opinion on it.

DMPS Superintendent Dr. Nancy Sebring will receive a $200,000 incentive if she chooses to stay with the district another five years.

In the years that Sebring has been with the DMPS, it has increased graduation rates, there has been high test scores for 4th- 8th graders, choices for parents regarding programs, more AP classes, completed renovations on 42 schools, and made schools energy-efficient.

“I do not attribute all of this to just me,” Sebring said. “There were other people that helped also.”

In light of recent staff and budget cuts, this $200,000 incentive seems absurd to many people. They want to know where the money is coming from.

“The board has its own board budget that they can choose to supply to different things so part of the money is going to be set aside from the board’s budget and how much they believe they would have to pay a search firm to find another superintendent,” Sebring said.

According to The Des Moines Register, board members are encouraged by improved graduation rates and student proficiency, have been pondering some sort of overture to Sebring since she was named a finalist this spring for a job in Boulder, CO.

A day as Sebring would be meeting with executive directors, meetings with other staff members, meeting with public groups, and going to school events.

The factors contributing to Sebring’s incentive include the cost to find a new superintendent, the shortage of candidates, and that the new superintendent would likely demand a higher salary.

“My salary is very competitive but it is not out of line in comparison to similar districts for superintendents,” Sebring said.

To be clear the $200,000 incentive does not add on to her salary every year, she does not see a penny of it until she signs up for another five years.