Who decided how much a public school superintendent salary should be?

Question

Who decided how much a public school superintendent salary should be?

Answer 1

The state.

Answer 2

No one person decides how much superintendents are paid.  Each school district's board of education negotiates a contract with the superintendent for a certain number of years.  What leads to excessively high salaries are a number of factors, including, but not limited to:

1)  The negotiations are done behind closed doors without the community, district staff, or teachers knowing what is going on.

2)  The previous experience of a hired superintendent.

3)  If the teachers and classified staff (aides, TA's) negotiated for less.  (which may sound unfair, but it is true).

4)  Equalization aid and deficit reduction.  These are sources of one-time unexpected revenue coming into the school district from the state.  Since the superintendent presides over the budget, and if he knows this, it can give him/her an added bargaining chip in negotiations.

If negotiations with teachers and classified staff are prolonged, and the superintendent receives a high salary, it is cause for alarm.  This certainly builds an atmosphere of distrust and accusations of mismanagement on the part of the district.

If you're a community member concerned, voice your concerns at the next school board meeting.

If you're a district employee, contact your union representative or President and demand that the issue be brought up at the next bargaining session.

God knows as a teacher and union rep I agree with the hidden meaning in your question!