Seattle Chief Rejects $500,000 Bonus Offer

By Bess Keller

Seattle Superintendent John Henry Stanford has turned down an offer of a $500,000 bonus that supporters say reflects widespread confidence in the leadership of the former U.S. Army general.

The bonus plan was originally a response by a group of local business people to rumors that Mr. Stanford was leaving his $193,000-a-year post for a private-sector job. The offer would have required the superintendent to remain through the 2001-02 school year, two years beyond his current contract, and meet six performance goals.

But last week, before the school board could vote on whether it should allow the offer to be tendered by the district's nonprofit fund-raising arm, Mr....