Bettendorf's incoming interim superintendent has been operating a side business that sells consulting services to school districts, even while serving as second-in-command of the Iowa Department of Education overseeing all public schools.
John Elkin is founder and co-owner of PremierEdLeader.com, a company that conducts training seminars for educators both within and outside Iowa. The firm charges each seminar participant $300.
Asked in an email about the potential conflict of interest by Bettendorf.com, Iowa Department of Education General Counsel Thomas Mayes stated: "there is no evidence to suggest that Mr. Elkin or his consulting organization obtained any 'advantage or pecuniary benefit' from his organization's identification of him as a leader in the Department."
Mr. Elkin did not respond to voicemails asking him for direct comment on his business operations.
Shortly after the inquiry from Bettendorf.com to the state education department and Mr. Elkin last week, the wording on his web site was changed to add that his identification as deputy director of the state agency "was to indicate his affiliation was for identification purposes only."
Mayes said Elkin told him that he (Elkin) had not conducted any training involving Iowa educators since joining the state department of education in June of 2025.
Neither Mr. Elkin or the education department attorney provided any financial or training seminar records for that period.
"The Department of Education takes the integrity of our employees seriously, and we have had discussions with Mr. Elkin regarding his consulting organization," Mayes stated in an email to Bettendorf.com. "We have found Mr. Elkin's organization to be nothing but cooperative with the Department – voluntarily altering its web site to indicate his affiliation was for identification purposes only."
Elkins served as superintendent of the Centerpoint-Urbana School District prior to being hired as deputy director of the state education department by Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow.
Snow is a 2023 political appointee of Gov. Kim Reynolds. She has a bachelor's degree in political science and her only classroom experience was at the University of the Free State in South Africa.
Elkins will make $218,000 as the interim Bettendorf school superintendent. His appointment came one day after his successor, Dr. Michelle Morse, resigned under a settlement agreement with the school board that will pay her $720,000.
Under terms of the contract between Elkin and the school board, he could continue to operate his consulting business if he receives approval from Bettendorf School Board President Paul Castro.
Bettendorf.com sent an email to the education department's general counsel Monday (7/20) to seek answers to the following questions:
• Were you or state school superintendent Snow aware of Mr. Elkin’s business operation prior to his hiring?
• When did you/education department director Snow learn about Mr. Elkin’s consulting business?
• Has Mr. Elkin provided any financial documents or training schedules/locations for the period for which the department has vouched that he has not obtained any pecuniary or other benefits while running his business during the past year?
• How was Mr. Elkin selected as deputy director? Was there any vetting conducted by the department prior to his employment with the state?
• How many candidates were interviewed for the deputy director/chief of staff position in 2025?
• Was it education department director Snow who made the final decision to hire Mr. Elkin?
• Did education department director Snow, or anyone else at the department of education, approve or otherwise authorize Mr. Elkin’s solicitation of school business by his consulting firm?
There has been no response to date.
