Did Mike Miles retaliate against the executive director of DISD’s investigative unit?
Superintendent Mike Miles, left, and Don Smith, who oversees the Office of Professional Responsibility
Don Smith, the Dallas ISD administrator who led the recent investigation into Superintendent Mike Miles, received his lowest evaluation rating in his career a few weeks after the investigation was released.
Miles gave Smith a rating of “Proficient,” docked him points for trustworthiness and fairness and called the district’s investigative unit intimidating. It was the first time Smith received less than the highest rating in his six years at DISD.
Miles issued the evaluation on Sept. 26, several weeks after an independent investigation found he violated district policies and tried to disparage trustees, according to district documents. Smith’s department, the Office of Professional Responsibility, started its investigation in June but handed it in July to to a private attorney after Miles didn’t fully cooperate with the initial investigation and tried to interfere with it.
The latest evaluation hasn’t been finalized yet because Miles and Smith haven’t signed it. The board voted Thursday night to move Smith and the Office of Professional Responsibility under the oversight of the board.
In the evaluation, Miles criticized Smith’s investigative unit.
“There is some concern among employees that OPR is not treating employees fairly and that the