Brevard’s school board cites ‘precedent’ for superintendent payout

When Mark Rendell departs Brevard Public Schools on Friday, he will be walking away with an additional six figures in pay.

Brevard’s school board on Nov. 10 voted to approve the outgoing superintendent’s separation agreement, which pays him an estimated $167,000 in accrued vacation and sick leave. It also releases him from being subject to any lawsuits arising from his employment with the district. Rendell announced last week he would be leaving the district for a role at Eastern Florida State College.

The 9 a.m. special meeting drew a packed crowed and 34 public commenters, many of whom questioned why a resigning superintendent would receive a separation agreement with such a generous compensation package.

Precedent set by previous superintendents

Rendell, who resigned from the district last Thursday with an original exit date of Nov. 27, provided only 22 of the 90 days notice to receive an unpaid portion of his salary and accrued benefits. Because the board opted to reach a mutual separation agreement, it allowed for Rendell to receive that payment.

“Dr. Rendell is not getting paid a severance package,” board member Megan Wright said during the meeting. “He is being paid out the vacation and sick time he has accrued and earned.

“It was part of his contract, and the precedent has been set by this district with previous separation agreements.”

It’s a similar outcome to former superintendent Mark Mullins’s exit, which the board pointed to as precedent. Mullins received 20 weeks of pay and accrued benefits as part of a separation agreement with the board in 2022, and agreed to resign at the end of the year.

Board Chair Matt Susin said the section in Rendell’s separation agreement that would shield him from any legal action under his employment is standard in superintendent contracts. He said that language appeared in Mullins’s and former superintendent Desmond Blackburn’s contract, who resigned from the role in 2018.

“This is the standard in the Brevard contracts,” Susin said.

Public commenters didn’t seem to buy the board’s rationale. Sarah Dudash, who said she was a finance executive and managed employment contracts for over 30 years, disagreed with the terms of Rendell’s separation agreement.

“That is an apples-to-oranges comparison, Dr. Mullins was terminated by this board. Dr. Rendell has quit to accept another position at Eastern Florida State College. These are fundamentally different circumstances.” Dudash said about the comparison to the two former superintendent’s exits. “Before approving this agreement, this board should explain precisely what contractual provision entitles a superintendent quitting his job top a payot of more than 1,00 hours of unused sick leave potentially worth six figures.

Mullins had a negotiated a separation package with the board in 2022.

At the first meeting of the new school board that November, it was decided that Mullins would be leaving the district while the school board went in a new direction in terms of leadership.

The board approved the agreement Dec. 5, 2022, with the agreement that Mullins would continue as superintendent through Dec. 31 and then receive 20 weeks of pay and continued benefits. The terms of separation are exactly what Mullins would receive if he had been fired without cause.

Superintendent search to begin soon

Shortly after approving Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Tara Harris as interim superintendent, the board said it would begin the search for Rendell’s successor the week of Nov. 16

Harris will serve as the interim superintendent for the duration of the school year before retiring next summer. Harris and Rendell both encouraged the board to start searching for a permanent hire as soon as possible.

“There are three other districts open in Florida right now, they’ve already begun their search processes,” Rendell said during the Nov. 10 work session. “I wouldn’t wait any time.”

Noah Vinsky is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. He can be reached at nvinsky@floridatoday.com. X: @NVinsky

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard’s school board cites ‘precedent’ for superintendent payout

Reporting by Noah Vinsky, Florida Today / Florida Today

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This story was originally published November 12, 2026 at 1:35 PM.