Most may not know it, but our school districts are handing out more of our money to superintendents than we think.
With a couple of clicks, it is easy for anyone to look up their superintendent’s base salary on the Texas Education Agency website; but, do you know all of the financial perks that aren’t included in that online total?
As an example, we looked at Hutto ISD (near Austin). Through an open records request, we were able to obtain the current Superintendent’s current contract and pay increases since the start of his employment.
What we found was shocking. At the start of Hutto ISD’s employment in 2005, he was making a base salary of $94,000. His current contract, outlining the 08-09 school year, has him at a base salary of $131,040. This means that his raises over the past few years have totaled $37,040! That is almost DOUBLE the per capita income for residents in Hutto!
Not only is Hutto ISD’s Superintendent receiving an exorbitant amount in pay increases; but when you look at his contract, you can see all of the other financial perks he receives with our tax dollars.
This is what the taxpayers of Hutto are paying for, to name a few:
**A $5,000 incentive per year for meeting the bare minimum on academic requirements and assuring the district fund balance is increased.
**30 vacation days + every legal holiday/non-duty day = 52 days taxpayer’s pay him to not work (excluding sick days)
**Cellular Phone, Pager, Laptop for personal and business use
**$3,000 monthly allowance for car expenses (totaling $36,000 per year)
You would think that a school district that is willing to give a superintendent more of our tax dollars for an almost 40k raise within three years and financial perks within his contract the ISD would be performing at a level of excellence and that our tax dollars would surely be going toward more instruction for pupils. But, sadly that is not the case in Hutto ISD.
After reviewing the 2007 Snapshot for Hutto ISD on the Texas Education Agency website, this is what we’ve learned:
**Hutto ISD is only “Academically Acceptable”.
**Teachers are paid at least $17,000 per year less than support and administrative staff.
**Only 41% of their budget is spent on instruction in the classroom.
With a school district underperforming, it is difficult to understand how their superintendent is still rewarded.
What financial perks is your superintendent receiving with your money? It is public information.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Taxpayers Footing the Bill for More than Superintendent’s Base Salary
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3 comments:
As a Hutto resident with three children I am shocked to learn about his contract. We are in a budget crunch and here we are providing him salary increases. He received another incentive in December according to HISD website board minutes. Our school board needs to wake up!
It's ridiculous. During these difficult economic times, families are rolling up their sleeves and watching their budgets; but these ISDs are out of control and only asking for more of our money!
This is amazing. We need to put more of the education dollars in the classroom, not to overpay the Superintendent. Clearly, the priorities aren't where they should be - in the classroom, paying good teachers well. But educrats are lobbying legislators for more money for education. They actually want more money for bureaucrats and administrators, not for teachers and students' education.
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