Conway School District Superintendent Jeff Collum runs his own business as an educational representative and is allowed to do limited paintings during the school day, even when paid through the public, the Arkansas Times has learned.
The head of Collum’s company, Triad Consultants, says the district’s deputy superintendent Jason Black also works for the company as a consultant. Triad advises schools on a variety of topics, from safety and security to education, curriculum, and training strategies. Triad in particular promotes its wisdom of “Board Relations” and the “Team of 8 Formation Model,” a reference to an educational workshop between school boards.
Collum has been superintendent at Conway since July 2021.
A long-neglected segment of Colum’s contract, which was last approved by the school board on Jan. 9, reads:
So unlike teachers and most other employees, Collum is able to oversee his own personal business on the school day when he receives an annual salary of $241,285, a monthly car allowance of $1,000, and a $15,000 annual stipend from the district.
Who makes a decision about when and whether Colum’s paintings for Triad Consultants “materially and substantially” interfere with their educational duties?The school board oversees the superintendent, however, the board has unanimously approved his contract and rarely, if ever, publicly raises questions about the district’s performance. monetary decisions.
In an email sent through school district prosecutor Shastady Wagner at the end of the business day on Friday, March 15, Collum said, “All counseling work is done outdoors during school hours or at the time that least conflicts with school hours. “Duties of the District Superintendent. I conduct similar trainings in leadership and school protection for state cooperatives and multiple districts, as well as similar protection personnel.
Triad’s lists the Conway School District as a consumer for the past 15 years. It’s not transparent if the district is still a customer, even if they don’t get paid.
“The paintings I do as a representative benefit the district and help me serve other districts and their school protection and leadership progression opportunities, as well as day-to-day operational efforts,” Collum said in the email. “It brings me my wisdom and exposure to national, local and national trends similar to those issues. “
Collum didn’t elaborate on how his consulting work “gains advantages for the district at no cost,” but that raises other questions. Do you advise yourself and other school leaders, but don’t rate the Conway School District (beyond your generous salary, of course)?For that advice? If so, could he and the district gain advantages from a more objective representative other than a district administrator?
The school district closed this week for spring break and officials were unable to comment further.
Other Arkansas school districts and charter schools indexed as Triad clients over a 15-year period include Arkadelphia, Stuttgart, Little Rock, Jonesboro, Siloam Springs, Benton, Bentonville, LISA Academy of Little Rock, Batesville, Rogers, Fayetteville, and Sheridan. Some districts in Texas, where Collum once lived, are also indexed.
As for Black, his annual salary as an assistant mayor is $126,270 plus $600 a month for expenses within the district, according to his contract.
Black’s contract doesn’t cover outdoor work, but in an emailed response sent through Wagner, Black said, “All counseling work is done outdoors during school hours or at a time that conflicts as little as possible with homework. “of the Deputy District Superintendent. “
Black said he “typically” provides “leadership and school protection trainings for state co-ops, districts, and staff. “
Black has also started a company: JB6 Consulting LLC. According to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s website, he filed the company’s documents on Dec. 2. JB6’s citations to Triad, if any, are unclear.
Black said that, as a district worker, he participated in any consulting contracts with the Conway School District.
Audie Alumbaugh, a Conway-based parent who closely follows school issues in Arkansas, recently posted a link on Facebook to Triad’s website.
“It looks like an advertisement for a school in Conway. . . but it doesn’t,” he wrote. “It’s a side hustle for a superintendent who earns more than any superintendent in Conway. . . That noise you hear is that of the audience. “
In the past, Collum served as superintendent in Hallsville, Texas and Benton.
Colum’s consulting business has sparked court cases in the past, but then his online page disappeared or became harder to find and the complaint faded. Court cases resurfaced recently after locals noticed a new Triad online page.
According to the website OpenCorporates, a company called Triad Educational Systems
In the email sent to the Arkansas Times, Collum insisted that his task as Conway’s superintendent was his “number one priority. “
“All of the advisory work is done at the times that would least clash with my duties as superintendent defined in my contract,” he said.