Uh Oh, Guess Who Is Going To Ask For a Raise?
I'm thinking that, in less than a year from now, Superintendent Brent Jones is gonna be asking for a raise. I believe this because of two things.
One, he cleverly got a two-year contract from the Board which is NOT the norm for SPS or most districts in general. He could have done this so that he could cut and run if this job really didn't suit him (but he would only get part of his salary if he left on his own). I do have my suspicions that he may just be a placeholder for someone else (like former Garfield High School principal, Ted Howard).
Two, just take a look at this list of Washington State Superintendents and their salaries - it's breathtaking. And Jones isn't even on this list which is a bit puzzling because he's making $335,000, just in salary. If he was on this list, he would be fourth from the bottom.
The guy at the top - Kevin McKay - oversees a district of EIGHT schools. For over half a million dollars per year.
The next person, Michelle Reid, oversee 36 schools and 22,000 students. For just under half a million dollars per year.
So if you were overseeing 100 schools plus and about 50K students, wouldn't you look at this list and expect more money?
Of course, the question would be, from where? Allegedly, there is NO money.
It will be interesting watching this unfold just as the district will start closing schools. But maybe "well-resourced schools" need a well-resourced superintendent.
Comments
Discussions about education not being fully funded need to be slowed down until we see some real leadership and changes around fiscal responsibility.
Split now
New board
Anyways, regarding Amanda F's comment, I am aware that medical doctors with specialties have gone through high-quality education & training. No online degrees will cut it, unlike in Education degrees. And they don't have summer months off. And they are required to perform tasks with complete transparency. No word salad to merely kill time will cut it. The patients' outcomes are tracked with objectively. Then, I wonder why so much of our tax dollars are spent on any superintendent's salaries at unremarkable public schools.
That said, the superintendent's job must be vetted by the Board in a transparent process, right? Who would spend $2-4 millions without complete research and vetting. Yup, that's Brent Jones for SPS.
Big Steal
I have direct knowledge of salary data reported for non-school employees and can say with a fair degree of certainty that the sums reported DO NOT include benefits. The number is salary (or hourly wages) only for that year.
-One More Eckstein Parent
Reality suxs
Reality suss, I have always said if all the PTAs/PTOS walked away for a week/month, those in JSCEE would feel it and certainly hear from principals. And if those PTAs/PTOS used the money they raised in a year SOLELY for student enrichment, I'm pretty sure the district would notice that as well.
Bubba, it's data from 2021. That's not outdated. Okay so some of those include a payoff but the data stands; those superintendents are making good money.
I invite you to watch and see what plays out with Superintendent Jones.
There's plenty of problems with the school district but the superintendent's pay isn't near the top of the list to me.