As many school districts go to voters this fall asking for more money, it is worth taking a look at how much of that money goes into the pockets of the school superintendents around Texas.
Our analysis of last year’s Texas superintendent salaries found that 50 superintendents make more than $200,000 per year. That is more than Texas Gov. Rick Perry or the Republican vice-presidential nominee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, make to manage their respective states.
There does not seem to be a pattern on which school districts pay top dollar. For example, the state’s two largest school districts, Houston and Dallas ISD, have student enrollments of 199,000 and 157,000 respectively; yet the Beaumont superintendent (enrollment: 19,000) receives a comparable salary. Go figure.
But what about the argument that, according to my free-market philosophy, executives should be paid what the market will bear? Well, public education in Texas is anything but a free market and individuals have to have a teacher’s license and a superintendent’s license to be a superintendent.
Last session, a bill was filed that would have allowed local school boards to hire a leader from outside the world of education to run their school or district. It didn’t make it out of committee.
Are taxpayers and students really getting the best leaders for their money?
– Brooke Terry