Salaries On The Rise

Statewide Superintendent Pay Up 3.6 Percent

By S. Alexander Gerould agerould@post-journal.com
$100,000 is a lot of money.

And all but one superintendent during the 2007-08 school year in Chautauqua County earned more than that in annual salary.

According to information posted on the state Education Department Web site, www.nysed.gov, only John Hogan, Ripley Central School interim superintendent, didn’t reach the six-figure mark — although he makes $99,000 a year without benefits included.

However, when benefits are included, every superintendent in the county earned more than $100,000.

‘‘The superintendent and the members of the Board of Education make up the leadership team,’’ said Chuck Pegan, Chautauqua County School Boards Association executive director who has served as a school administrator at various levels for many years. ‘‘It is their duty to set policy for the running of the district. They select and evaluate all staff and curriculum in the district. They do long- and short-term planning and goal setting, and communicate all this to their constituents.’’

According to the New York State School Boards Association, the average superintendent salary, statewide, for the 2008-09 school year is $158,883 — a 3.6 percent increase from 2007-08.

According to the figures released by the Education Department, Ray Fashano, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent, earned more than $200,000 in salary and benefits. Meanwhile, Hogan earned almost $107,000 with benefits, making him the lowest-paid superintendent in The Post-Journal’s circulation area. On average, superintendents in the region’s school districts earned $147,081, without benefits.

‘‘I still believe that superintendents, at least in our county, are underpaid for the responsibilities they have,’’ Pegan said.

Besides Hogan, every other superintendent earned more than $20,000 in benefits. Fashano received the highest amount of benefits at $43,148, while Hogan received $7,574.

However, several superintendents — Southwestern, Falconer, Panama, Fredonia and Ripley — received, according to the data from the state Education Department, varying amounts of money for ‘‘other’’ expenses. Dan George, Southwestern Central School superintendent, received the highest amount at $1,050, while Carol Hay, Panama Central School superintendent, received $204.

‘‘Part of reaching an agreement on a contract with a new superintendent is the Board of Education adds certain benefits such as health and life insurance, vacation and sick days, memberships in professional organizations at the county and state levels, and, in some districts, use of a school car and membership in civic organizations,’’ Pegan said.

Also, the two assistant superintendents for Jamestown Public Schools — Deke Kathman and Dale Weatherlow — each earned $117,684 plus $34,898 in benefits. Their base salaries are more than several superintendents in other districts in the region, which, Pegan said, is due to the number of students the district serves.

‘‘In larger districts, it is customary to have assistant superintendents for instruction, personnel, school finance, maintenance and transportation,’’ he said.

Pegan said superintendents aren’t only accountable to their districts, but also must answer to boards of education, the public, teacher’s unions, the Commissioner of Education and taxpayers.

‘‘For whatever happens or doesn’t happen in the school district, they are held responsible,’’ he said. ‘‘As a result of circumstances often beyond their control — fuel prices, heat and light, food prices, negotiated agreements, constructions costs, health insurance costs, legislative and (unfunded mandates) — superintendents are often at the mercy of events and circumstances not of their doing.’’

When asked if there were too many districts in Chautauqua County, Pegan said yes, adding there are also too many superintendents.

‘‘Consolidation talks are taking place around the county and, hopefully, the taxpayers will support the merger of our smaller districts into larger districts which can offer comprehensive academic programs to students,’’ Pegan said. ‘‘Some administrative costs will be saved through consolidation of schools including the merger of two or more business offices as is currently happening in our area.’’