A follow-up review from the Missouri State Auditor says weak vetting by the Francis Howell R-III School District paved the way for a nearly $230,000 separation payment to an incoming superintendent who never worked a single day in the district. The review says board members and the search firm overlooked red flags in Dr. Mike Dominguez's materials before the board signed him to a three-year contract.
According to First Alert 4, Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick found the district approved a $229,167 settlement that "could have been prevented." The report says Dominguez's application included several errors and did not have references or letters from his most recent employer, Garden City Public Schools. Board counsel described Dominguez's resignation there as a red flag that should have been caught. The audit summary notes the board agreed to end the contract by mutual agreement because of potential litigation and worries about disrupting district operations.
What the state audit showed
The finding builds on a December 2024 performance audit from the Missouri State Auditor, which rated Francis Howell "poor" and flagged problems with transparency, procurement and internal controls. That earlier audit documented cost overruns on the district's Proposition S construction program, weaknesses in accounting and personnel procedures, and uneven documentation of board decisions. The follow-up review uses the Dominguez payout as another example of the governance gaps state auditors say they have already identified.
Where vetting broke down
The follow-up says board members did not know of, or question, Dominguez's early resignation from Garden City before hiring him, even though that information was publicly available online. As reported by First Alert 4, the board's legal counsel told auditors that some concerns surfaced only after Dominguez began relocating and preparing to start the job. The report adds that the payout and the choice to end the contract by mutual agreement limited how much detail officials could share with the public about why the board changed course.
Search firm selection questioned
The audit also criticizes how the board chose its superintendent search firm. Auditors say the district did not use a formal, documented process and did not properly justify its selection. The follow-up notes that the vendor the board picked had the second-highest cost proposal and that one factor in the decision was the firm's recent work for a nearby district that had hired away Francis Howell's previous superintendent. The report concludes that the lack of documented criteria and competitive comparison helped set the stage for the breakdown in oversight.
Probe and records
The Missouri auditor's office issued a subpoena late last year for unredacted meeting minutes, hiring documents and Dominguez's application materials as part of its follow-up review, according to St. Louis Public Radio. After negotiations over what could be redacted, the district agreed to turn over the remaining records so the auditor could complete the assessment.
Where Dominguez went next
Dominguez accepted an assistant superintendent position in Shawnee, Oklahoma, in August 2025, just weeks after the Francis Howell separation agreement was signed. Coverage in The Oklahoman reported the separation agreement required a payout of about $229,166 and that the district described his departure as a resignation to pursue opportunities that were better aligned with family needs.
What happens next
The state auditor's website lists a follow-up review of Francis Howell on its Missouri State Auditor audits-in-progress page, indicating the office may issue additional recommendations or call for corrective actions once the review concludes. For now, parents and board members say they want clearer answers in public about how superintendents are vetted and what the district will do to avoid writing another six-figure check to a leader who never actually starts the job.
