Brevard school board approves superintendent's separation agreement amid taxpayer concerns
Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - The Brevard County School Board approved a separation agreement for outgoing Superintendent Mark Rendell after a contentious meeting Tuesday, with residents questioning the cost to taxpayers and the timing of the vote.
Rendell announced last week that he was leaving the district to take a new position at Eastern Florida State College.
The agreement provides payment for 178 hours of unused vacation time and more than 1,000 hours of accumulated sick leave. However, it does not specify the total amount he will receive.
Public backlash over severance terms
What they're saying:
Several residents criticized the agreement during public comment, arguing taxpayers should not have to fund a generous payout for an administrator who chose to leave for another job.
"This is incredibly disrespectful, Mr. Chair, and it's quite frankly just trashy," one speaker said.
Others questioned why the board was approving the agreement before two newly elected school board members take their seats.
"Rushing a special meeting to approve a controversial severance agreement before they're seated undermines the will of the voters," one resident said.
Board members defend the agreement
The other side:
Despite the public criticism, the board approved the agreement 3-1. Board member John Thomas was the only member to publicly raise concerns about the timing of the decision.
"Just because we have the authority to approve this agreement does not mean we have an obligation to do so today," Thomas said.
Other board members defended the terms, saying the agreement follows the same format used for previous superintendents and is consistent with standard separation practices under Florida law.
Board member Katye Campbell described the agreement as a copy of previous agreements and said the vacation payout was standard.
Rendell's departure moves up
What's next:
Rendell also announced during the meeting that he would leave earlier than originally planned. His departure date was moved from Nov. 27 to Friday, Nov. 13.
He said the decision came amid the controversy surrounding his departure.
The board named Tara Harris interim superintendent Tuesday afternoon to ensure the district has leadership in place when Rendell leaves.
School board members said they want to move quickly to begin the search for a permanent superintendent.
The separation agreement passed by a 3-1 vote, despite continued concerns from residents about the financial terms and the board's decision to act before new members are seated.
The Source: This story was written based on previous reporting by FOX 35 News, statements from Brevard Public Schools and Eastern Florida State College, and from comments made during a meeting of the Brevard County School Board on Nov. 10, 2026.