Tiny District's New Superintendent Fails Test 10 Times
CAMPBELL (CBS 11 NEWS) -Jan French looks through pictures of her two young Campbell ISD students.
She's the proud parent of Alex, who's in 5th grade, and Casey, who's in 4th.
"I go to school board meetings," French said. "I go to every function that my children go to. I like to be involved."
She wants her boys to study hard, make good grades and, most importantly, learn their lessons.
That's why lately she's upset.
"It's hard to understand how he can fail so many times," she said. "I feel like he should pass the test before he's in that position."
French is not talking about her own boys.
She's talking about Ernie Phelps.
Phelps recently became the superintendent of the Campbell Independent School District, which serves 404 students in Hunt County.
According to documents CBS 11 News obtained from the Texas Education Agency, Phelps is on a probationary superintendent's certificate because he's failed a test for the position.
He's failed it 10 times already.
Roy Smalley is one of two newly elected Campbell school board members. He says it concerns him that Phelps can't pass the certification test.
"Makes me wonder if he has the qualification to meet the needs of this district at this time, because there are a lot of major challenges," explained Smalley.
The district is still reeling from a controversy over its last superintendent, Strike Franklin.
CBS 11 News first reported in May Franklin is under investigation for questionable spending.
"I'm hoping for the best for the school," says French.
French understands tests can be difficult.
After all, her sons have failed one or two. But what bothers her is that her superintendent -- who is getting paid $95,000 a year plus other benefits -- can't seem to get a passing grade.
"It's kind of disheartening that one is able to get away with not passing and the student must pass," says French.
Phelps needs a passing score of 240 to continue being a superintendent. There are two parts to the test, each costing $120, which the district paid for. That comes to $2,400 of taxpayers' money gone to the tests Phelps has failed.
The test covers leadership skills in three categories including education, instruction and administration.
Phelps didn't want to do an interview with CBS 11 News, but off camera he said that it's a hard test.
The TEA says it is common for people to fail the test, but usually only once or twice.
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