Update In St. Paul Superintendent's Employment Expected

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Friday could determine the outcome of talks between the St. Paul School Board and Superintendent Valeria Silva.

Earlier this week, the district announced the school board is looking at her contract and exploring "various transition options."

Silva has been Superintendent since 2009 and been with the district for 29 years, but this past school year has been a rocky one. Silva has faced a lot of criticism.

While there's been no announcement that Silva is stepping down, many people believe that she and the school board may be discussing a three-year contract buyout, even though she's only six months into it.

St. Paul schools are dealing with fights among students -- with teachers even getting injured -- and declining enrollment. A total of 542 students will not be returning in the fall, whereas previously only 100 students were reportedly leaving.

The latest issue facing the district is how to close a $15 million budget gap for the upcoming school year.

Joe Nathan, a founder of the Center for School Change in St. Paul (which does education research), said many parents and teachers have lost confidence in Silva's leadership.

"There are some people who would say things are so bad right now that we need to cut our losses," he said. "We need to recognize new leadership is needed, not because she hasn't done some good things, she has done some terrific things. But at this point, with so many people leaving the district and enrollment declining."

Silva's annual base salary is $213,000, and if she is forced out she will get all of her unpaid salary, vacation, and benefits for the next two-and-a-half years under certain conditions.

A 9:30 a.m. press conference has been scheduled.