Super Salaries 09-10

The superintendent of schools is a vital position of great influence in a community, but it is seen by many as simply a political position. It is surely that, but not only that. The superintendent of schools in most communities runs the largest organization around. The superintendent is bombarded with a volume of administrative responsibilities and there is the implicit expectation that he or she will be able to keep enough citizens happy with their schools.

It has been said that "uncertainty" is the hallmark of the job and much of the work revolves around the ability to create and maintain relationships. Today's superintendent is not an overseer or manager – he or she is an instructional leader who must employ skill and finesse to drive change int he district.

So, what is a good superintendent worth?

On average, Kentucky superintendents earned $116,975 last year. Over 174 school districts, that comes to $20,353,649 spent on superintendent's salaries.

Leading the list is Sheldon Berman in Jefferson County with his $260,000 salary and 97,850 students.

A much better job would appear to be Stu Silberman's, with his salary of $232,033 and 36,736 Fayette County students, that's 89% of the salary with only 37% of the students.

The Top 40

At the bottom of the food chain is James Palm at Southgate with its 153 students. He makes $70,248, less than many school principals. He also serves as the district administrator in charge of Data, District Personnel, District Wide Programs, English as a Second Language/Limited English Proficiency, Facilities, Finance and Business, Public Information and Pupil Personnel. But what a great place to learn.

I always thought that Bobby Storer had the best job in Kentucky when he was superintendent in Walton-Verona. Small close knit community that values its schools, was doing a good job for its 1,400 kids and about $120,000 salary. Sweet.

It has even gotten sweeter recently as Bill Boyle will pull down $159,500 this year which places Walton-Verona in the top 25. 124th in size and 13th in salary.

Other small districts in the top 25 include Dayton Independent with its 958 students. Gary Rye makes $141,441, 23rd in the state.

Then there's Newport and their 1.991 students. Superintendent Michael Brandt will earn $192,109 this year; third best in the state.

The Big Movers

These districts added the most to the

Superintendent's salary line this year.

Big Movers Down

These districts took the most out of the
Superintendent's salary line this year.

Measley $500 K is Real Money to Educators

By Penney Sanders:

This week President Obama proposed capping executive compensation in corporations that took “bail out” money to $500K/annually.

The hue and cry is most interesting to “school people” who have been on fixed and capped salaries our entire careers. To describe a $500K salary as measly is laughable. For me, it sounds like real money.

According to the talking head experts, limiting executive compensation stifles creativity, is counter to entrepreneurial zeal and limits the risk taking so necessary for successful corporate executives. So why did they need a “bail out”??

Fast forward to the discussions surrounding public school teacher/administrator compensation.

Educators, whose salaries come from public moneys, have historically, been on a standardized, fixed salary scale determined by either the state or a local school board (within state parameters).

In a school district everyone is paid the same, regardless of skill, results, creativity, success or failure.

Concurrently with President Obama’s proposing restrictions on executive compensation, the Washington,D.C. schools chief , Michele Rhee, has proposed decoupling educator compensation from a fixed salary schedule. In exchange for significantly higher salaries (upwards of $130,000 annually), teachers will forfeit tenure. This represents a classic “no risk, no reward” approach to compensation.

While many DC teachers support Rhee’s proposal, the opposition, led by the AFT, has been intense. Opponents describe the tenure for salary exchange as unfair, potentially abusive, and teachers don’t like it.

If it can be argued that fixing CEO compensation is “stiffling and restrictive” isn’t fixing educator compensation equally “stifling”? If limits are too restrictive for CEOs, are they too restrictive for educators from whom we expect leadership, creativity and results?

Has the time come to disengage educators from a fixed salary schedule? Should student progress and classroom results be rewarded? Does a fixed salary schedule reward and therefore, encourage mediocrity?

If fixed, predetermined salary schedules are sufficient for those who do the important work of teaching children, than surely salary caps are good enough for those corporations who had to be bailed out with taxpayers’ money.

Public money is public money.

Presidents’ Pay Rises Faster at Public Universities Than Private Ones, Survey Finds

This from the New York Times:

David J. Sargent, the 77-year-old president of Suffolk University in Boston, received a $2.8 million pay package in 2006-7 — including a $436,000 longevity bonus and more than $1 million in deferred compensation — after the board of trustees, eager to delay his retirement, decided he had long been underpaid.

Mr. Sargent was the nation’s highest-compensated university president in the annual survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education, being released Monday.

Others also received more than $2 million. David P. Roselle, who resigned as president of the University of Delaware in June 2007, had a package of $2.4 million, including deferred compensation. ...

March Madness: 2008 NCAA Salary Champs

If 2008 NCAA tournament scores were determined by the median salary of its graduates, how would Kentucky do?

Would the Cats make it to the elite 8? Would they get out of the first round against Marquette? Would it be better to play Vandy, Stanford or Notre Dame?

This is how the March Madness brackets would shake out according to PayScale: