Link to Original Story

How Much Do School Superintendents Earn?

By Dana Jay

WSIL-TV--- It's been a brutal spring for schools in Southern Illinois that are cutting back because of the state budget crisis.

Thirteen districts from Mt. Vernon to Cairo have laid off teachers or staff in large part because of late payments from the state.

Some parents-- and even students-- wonder if school administrators shouldn't share more in the sacrifice. They suggest superintendents should take pay cuts.

"To make the significant hundreds of thousands of dollar deficit gaps up, unfortunately we have to look at personnel," said Michael Smith, superintendent of Mt. Vernon HSD 201. His district will lay off six teachers in the next school year.

Many News Three viewers want to know how much those men and women make.

So, we did what that superintendent suggested, but instead of teachers’ salaries, we looked at administrators'.

At Mt. Vernon high school, the superintendent made close to $138,000 dollars in the 2008-2009 school year according to the Illinois State Board of Education. (Smith was not the superintendent at that time.)

Among the thirteen southern Illinois districts that will lay off teachers in the next school year, Linda Meredith, superintendent of Carbondale ESD 95, makes the most-- $159,787.

The highest salary in the region goes to Steven Sabens, the superintendent at Carbondale CHSD 165. He makes $177,961 annually.

There are no plans to lay off any teachers there, but at districts where they will, a spokeswoman for the Illinois State Board of Education says administrators can make compromises.

"We're aware of some districts in central Illinois and [in] some suburban districts we've heard administrators are taking pay cuts or having salaries frozen," said Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman Mary Fergus.

At Harrisburg CUSD 3, where they'll layoff eleven teachers, Superintendent Dennis Smith's salary is frozen around $116,286.

School board presidents will tell you superintendents earn those six figures, those salaries are necessary to attract the best talent, and pay increases and decreases for administrators are often tied to those of teachers.

Todd Goodman, president of the Marion CUSD 2 school board, said administrator salary increases and decreases generally occur simultaneously for morale purposes.

Goodman also said because superintendents are under contract, unless both parties agree, it’s difficult to freeze or decrease administrator salaries without creating legal problems.

Here's a look at the salaries for superintendents in districts laying off teachers in the next school year:

• Carbondale ESD 95 $159,787
• Mt. Vernon HSD 201 $137,873
• Du Quoin CUSD 300 $137,205
• Eldorado CUSD 4 $133,820
• Hamilton Co. CUSD 10 $118,498
• Cairo USD 1 $117,197
• Sesser-Valier CUSD 196 $117,034
• Harrisburg CUSD 3 $116,286
• Murphysboro CUSD 186 $108,609
• Fairfield PSD 112 $104,934
• Anna CCSD 37 $103,531
• Jonesboro CCSD 43 $98,857
• Century CUSD 100 $86,875

(Data is from the 2008-2009 school year. Source: Illinois State Board of Education.)

In the Chicago area many superintendents make more than $300,000 dollars a year.

Additional Links:

Southern Illinois Superintendent Salaries

CAT Tracks Editor's Notes:

1. Contrary to what some critics might charge, I did NOT add the comment posted at the bottom of the above article...that "In the Chicago area many superintendents make more than $300,000 dollars a year." You can click the Link to Original Story and verify for yourself that THEY did it...NOT I! In further denial, I do NOT know, NOR have I had contact with Dana Jay, the author of the article...NOR any other member of the WSIL TV news staff. My paws are clean!!!

2. The "Additional Links" above purports to provide the salaries of Southern Illinois Superintendents. If you pursue the link, you will find that the salaries of Alexander and Pulaski County school superintendents are not listed. The original article provides Cairo ($117,197) and Century ($86,875), but neither source provides the information for Egyptian or Meridian.

POSTSCRIPT:

Purrrrrrrr...

Holding in my paws this magical Golden Easter Egg (courtesy of Channel 3), I am moved to offer the following catty commentary...

Since it is true that "In the Chicago area many superintendents make more than $300,000 dollars a year", then why, oh, why does Leotis make that long trek to Cairo every week...a trek so long that it requires a Friday noon departure to return?

Hmmm???

Don't tell me that it's a love of Cairo...or Leotis would have moved to Cairo by the end of his first year...as his 3-year contract specified. Leotis would be a proud local taxpayer by now, instead of receiving free housing and utilities at the expense of other CSD #1 taxpayers...like me.

And it's surely NOT at the urging of our local political establishment. I mean, Mr. Cairo Mayor is on record...lambasting teachers who do not reside in Cairo..."goosing" teachers who spend their much less than $117,197 salaries outside of Cairo. What about Leotis Gander?

Bears repeating...

Hmmm???