Sauce gets salary bump, 1-year contract to be DeKalb interim superintendent
The DeKalb County Board of Education gave Norman Sauce III a one-year contract to serve as its interim superintendent.
Sauce has been the district’s acting superintendent since October, when former Superintendent Devon Horton was indicted on federal charges related to an alleged kickback scheme in his last job in Illinois. Horton pleaded not guilty to the charges.
As interim superintendent, Sauce’s salary is $325,000, or about $27,000 per month, according to the employment contract obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week via an open records request. He previously served as the district’s chief of student services, with a salary this school year of $218,565.
Horton’s annual base salary was $360,000.
The new contract will ensure “stable leadership” in the state’s third-largest school system, Board Chair Deirdre Pierce said in a statement.
“Over the past month, Dr. Sauce has demonstrated strong leadership, a clear vision for student success and a commitment to transparency and collaboration,” she said. “Formalizing his role through a contract provides the consistency needed to maintain momentum on key initiatives, support our schools and staff, and keep the district moving forward together in service of students, families, and staff.”
But the contract is clear that this decision isn’t permanent: “There is no guarantee that the Interim Superintendent will be made the Superintendent,” it states. The board also has the ability to terminate the contract without cause without giving Sauce severance pay.
Several people came to the most recent school board meeting to encourage the board to stick with Sauce. Horton’s indictment and resignation was a blow to a community that is looking for stability. Sauce is the district’s 10th leader since 2010.
“I am deeply humbled and honored by the Board of Education’s confidence,” Sauce said in a news release about the appointment. “I look forward to continuing the vital work of advancing academic excellence and student success.”
Sauce has been a social studies teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal over his career, including principal of Chamblee High School in DeKalb. In recent years he’s held executive leadership roles in the Griffin-Spalding County School System and in DeKalb.
Sauce was “fully vetted” before his appointment, according to the news release. The process included a background check, certification of professional credentials, review of credit history and confirmation of eligibility for the district’s bonding and insurance policies.
The contract also states that Sauce will be paid the difference between his salary as chief of student services and the interim superintendent salary for the month he served as acting superintendent. He also has access to a district vehicle and driver for business-related travel.
The contract expires Nov. 15, 2026, unless it’s extended or the board opts to employ Sauce on a month-to-month basis after that.
About the Author
Cassidy Alexander covers Georgia education issues for the AJC. She previously covered education for The Daytona Beach News-Journal, and was named Florida's Outstanding New Journalist of the Year.
