Supt. Michelle Morse resignation

Bettendorf's school board paid Supt. Michelle Morse $720,000 to get her to resign.

The same day that settlement was made public, the board signed off on a contract to pay her one-year interim replacement $218,000.

The huge pay-out agreement – held secret by Board President Paul Castro for nearly two weeks – indicates the board had no reason to seek to terminate the superintendent for cause, and was willing to pay Morse three year's of her salary in exchange for her resignation.

Morse had served as superintendent for the district for the past six years and had two years remaining on her contract with the district.