Bunnell, FL - Flagler Schools Superintendent James Tager will retire at the end of his current contract, which ends after the end of the next school year, June 30, 2020. The announcement comes the day after Flagler Schools was named an A-rated district by the Florida Department of Education.
“I am beginning my 38th year in education and my goal is to make sure this 38th year is the best of my career,” Tager said. “I cannot tell you how much I enjoy serving in this school district. This community has embraced me and my wife, Jodi. We just hope we have been able to repay the kindness and support shown to us.”
Tager said he is making the announcement now in order to give the School Board ample time to get the search process started, saying, “There may have been options, such as sitting out for some time and then possibly returning. However, I’ve seen how some other governments have handled that option and I did not feel it appropriate I put our School Board in that position.”
Tager had laid out four distinct goals when he took over in 2017: focusing on literacy and high expectations, using early warning systems to identify students who need more supports earlier, increasing the district’s graduation rate, and getting more students into accelerated programs. Since that time, Flagler Schools has seen a steady increase in test scores and graduation rates, especially among minority and ESE students.
