AJC.com > Blogs > Get Schooled > Archives > 2008 > March > 21
Friday, March 21, 2008
What would you pay for a good superintendent?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Clayton County school board will have to pay big bucks if they select John Thompson to become the struggling district’s temporary superintendent.
According to this story, Thompson wants a $275,000 salary, 24-hour security, a car and driver and $2 million for his own consultant team.
Granted, Thompson will have a challenging job as he tries to salvage this district. But his salary request is higher than what is paid to the superintendent of Georgia’s largest school district. Gwinnett superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks will earn a base salary of about $262,000 under his new contract. His total compensation package including expenses and benefits is about $353,000.
Wilbanks isn’t the highest paid school leader in the metro area. That honor goes to Beverly Hall, Atlanta schools superintendent. Under her new contract, Hall could earn about $355,000 between her salary and performance bonus. That doesn’t include expenses or benefits.
Some could argue Thompson has the harder job. He must work quickly to stave off the loss of accreditation. The district must meet nine goals, including: better governance; ethics and conflict management; improved training of school board members; an end to meddling by outside groups; a forensic audit of district finances; and a comprehensive audit of student attendance records.
He also will have to restore faith in the district, heal a community and work with a bickering school board.
How much would you pay someone to accomplish all that?
