Super salaries: 4th annual salary report.

* Public scrutiny of administrator compensation is intensifying 

* Individual and district reactions to that pressure are varied

* With every action there clearly comes a reaction

Pedro Garcia wants to be sure his school district is getting its money's worth. So the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools' leader, whose current salary is about $196,000, has come up with a plan to prove he means business. Either test scores improve significantly under his leadership, or his job becomes somebody else's job.

In a recent letter to the school board, Garcia requested that his contract not be extended an additional year, as per usual, after his August evaluation. Any extension should come only when "the majority of the board has seen the significant increase in student achievement scores for which I was hired to deliver," he wrote. His current contract ends in June 2007.

Garcia has reason to be confident, as well as reason to think his days may be numbered. A year "after his 2001 hire, data showed significant achievement increases. The next year's scores were flat, and as of press time the district was expecting to hear bad news about scores for the 2003-2004 school year (which Garcia attributes to much longer state tests that he says are being modified).

The reason behind Garcia's unique stance is simple-accountability. "We have our principals' feet to the fire, demanding accountability, if they're going to be accountable, I've got to be accountable, too," he says.

As for the argument that superintendent strength doesn't apply to test score lifting, this leader isn't buying it. "I believe a superintendent's [role in achievement] is huge. You set the vision for the district, you set the vision for the schools, you hold the schools accountable and you hire the principals," he explains. "Their success is my success."

Reactions to Garcia's put-himself-on-the-line approach have run the gamut. There was the community member who Garcia says wrongly called it a "brilliant strategic move." Then there are those who have simply called it a mistake. Paul Houston, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, says it's not a good idea for one to put all his "begs in one ask-it."

While Nashville's board is examining whether data correlates with their leader's worth, scrutiny of a more public sort is happening in communities nationwide. The attention is on just how much money is being spent on top administrator compensation. From taking a defensive stance to making offensive cuts, what can and should districts and administrators do about it?

RAISED EYEBROWS

"As superintendent salaries have gone into six figures in a lot of districts, [there's been] really increased public awareness [and] raised political and public eyebrows," says Thomas Glass, a professor of leadership at University of Memphis' college of education.

The salaries alone can cause community outcry. "Any cost factor has kind of been magnified," says Ben Schwarm of the Illinois Association of School Boards, who explains that the majority of his state's districts are in deficit spending right now. A state pension code provision allows teachers and administrators to receive up to 20 percent Salary increases in each of their last two years before retirement. When a superintendent uses that provision, the bump becomes a mountain against the educational plain. Despite the tough economic times, Illinois superintendents are generally being fairly compensated, notes Schwarm, who is associate executive director for advocacy/governmental relations at IASB.

These days it's the extras that are being viewed as extravagance to the extreme. From pension boosts and six-figure severance packages to "very healthy professional development allowances that they can use, not use, cash in," says Glass, these perks en compass a "secret gray area."

Is it a district's duty to let the public in on that secret? Minnesota State Auditor Patricia Anderson certainly believes so. "I think the general consensus of the public is, pay them what you think you have to pay them, but be honest and up front about that," says Anderson, whose office did a study last year, at the request of legislators, on superintendent contracts across the state. The district costs of superintendents cashing out unused vacation and sick pay make these contract points particularly reprehensible to the public.

"The ironic thing," Anderson adds, is that "many boards call when they're negotiating new contracts. Their concern is how to keep compensation down. We argued, make it transparent. Be honest about it."

When Minneapolis hired Thandiwe Peebles, a former top administrator in Cleveland under Barbara Byrd-Bennett, this summer, Anderson was asked to review the details to determine the actual overall compensation. She reported that the contract, with its $163,500 per year salary for three years, would actually cost the district $215,602 in the first year, or $52,000 more than the base. According to a district fact sheet, which spokeswoman Melissa Winter says has been created for previous superintendents as well, the total cost of fringe benefits is 24 percent of base salary (less than $40,000), with onetime costs such as moving expenses removed from the equation.

Besides total compensation, Anderson's office examined the legalities of Peebles' contract, reporting two minor problems to the press. Based on Minnesota law, she determined the superintendent could not legally get both a monthly auto allowance and mileage costs, as well as that the district could not pay for her civic group dues. "Her attorney admitted we were correct on that," Anderson says, and the fact sheet reflects that the contract was revised accordingly.

Even when a district offers a complete compensation picture, the public may be made privy to something that doesn't quite sit right Take, for instance, the news about the consulting activities of Superintendent Yvonne Katz, published soon before her recently announced retirement from Spring Branch Independent School District in Houston. Her five-year contract's compensation was reported as $250,000 per year. That was her total package, with no annuity, housing allowance, car allowance or other "add-on's," says district spokesman Bob Sharp.

Yet the local media noticed that Katz is a paid marketing consultant for Energy Education Inc., a company Spring Branch started contracting with after Katz, who previously led Beaverton (Ore.) School District, arrived. Katz defended herself by saying she didn't earn fees when the district contracted with the company, which helps school systems save money through energy conservation.

"You have to be careful with that stuff. You've got to be very cautious about not only doing the wrong thing but appearing like you're doing the wrong thing," Houston says. As ethical issues have surfaced nationally in the last few years, school systems are inevitably being scrutinized as much other organizations.

Similarly, salary scrutiny isn't just about the top leader in K-12 systems. Missouri State Auditor Claire McCaskill recently released a report on St. Louis Public Schools that attacked, among other areas, the salaries of top administrators. Given the district's $38.6 million deficit as of June 30, 2004 (which was after expenditures had already been reduced by $41.4 million), the auditing team concluded the salaries of the top three administrators "do not appear reasonable." The chief operations officer's $200,000 salary, for example, is 75 percent higher than what the report used as a peer district average. The district's response: Its COO and chief financial officer salaries were arrived at using competitive data from the broader public sector and current data from other districts.

Floyd Crues, then the interim superintendent, was officially hired in July at a $220,000 base salary, with the opportunity to earn $42,000 more in bonuses ($7,000 for each of six goals). The base is 20 percent more than that of Cleveland Hammonds Jr., who retired as superintendent in June.

But the district's budget books got off easy. The school board had been courting Rudolph "Rudy" Crew.

BIG-CITY BUCKS

Crew, a former New York City schools chief, started at the helm of Miami-Dade County Public Schools in July. His four-year contract, which will extend to six years if he's still there on his anniversary in 2006, boasts a $295,000 base to start, plus a bonus of $50,000 to $80,000 annually (an amount which goes up with each contract year). Some of the other sunny perks include a new car (with all related expenses) at least every two years and a home "loan" that will be completely paid for by outside donations (provided Crew stays in the district through 2008).

When all is said and done, this leader's first-year total compensation package could reportedly be worth nearly $480,000, and his sixth year could be worth up to $540,000. At this rate, will there soon be seven-figure compensation packages to WOW! about?

District of Columbia Public Schools was also looking for a leader in Crew. In fact, D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams had said he would "jump off a building" for the education So Crew being a wanted man may well have contributed to his sweet deal.

When Crew pulled himself out of consideration in D.C., Clifford B. Janey left his job at Scholastic to take on the challenge of leading the district, which has been plagued by the mayor's battle to have the school chief report directly to him. Janey, who formerly led Rochester City Schools in New York, will earn $250,000 base salary, plus performance incentives of up to an additional 20 percent.

Like Crew, Portland's Vicki L. Phillips had donations working in her favor when she negotiated her three-year contract, which started in August. On top of her $198,000 base salary, the former Pennsylvania Secretary of Education is receiving $5,000 from the Portland Schools Foundation. Glass cautions that this may not be the best option for superintendents. "Local foundations can step in, and they can also step out," he says.

To put these numbers in perspective, the average superintendent salary was $188,988 in July 2003 among members of the Council of the Great City Schools, which includes Portland, D.C., Miami-Dade and St. Louis. According to Educational Research Service's 2003-2004 report on public school salaries, the average contract base salary for superintendents is $125,609. (See charts for more ERS data on superintendent salaries.)

CALLING ALL CRITICS

As knowledge about administrator salaries and total compensation has rung louder in the public's ears, education leaders have tried to raise awareness of how you've got to pay for good leadership. "It is not a waste of taxpayer money or spending frivolously," Schwarm from IASB points out.

"I think most superintendents are underpaid," says Glass. "The salary amount has to be fair to the superin-to be fair to the superintendent. But it also has to be fair to other district employees as much as possible, and to the public. It has to be an equitable arrangement."

Rosemarie Young, president of National Association of Elementary School Principals, adds that there typically aren't any "extra" top leaders. "Most districts think long and hard and they go through a process of analyzing positions to make sure they're still relevant and doing a job for the district," says Young, who is on leave from her principal position in Jefferson County (Ky.) Public Schools.

One potential response to administrator salary scrutiny would be to line up all staff compensation packages under the same magnifying glass. Glass' idea would be to require reporting the whole package breakdown for every position to the state. "If we're going to say how much the compensation package is for the superintendent, we would have to reveal that for teachers and [other] administrators," he argues. "When you get into the real affluent suburban districts, it can be interesting," considering the various health-care options and professional development opportunities that may be offered.

"I think that would be fair," Young says of the idea, while pointing out that there would be less to report for building-level administrators and teachers. In districts where principal packages are based on negotiated contracts, she says she believes both school boards and the public should have access to that information.

Self-imposed pay cuts and turning down pay raises are other ways to help restore public trust. "Dollars for underfunded programs have to come from somewhere," Young says.

For instance, the Houston Chronicle reported in June that administrator salaries are being named more and more by community and union groups as a way to close the $30-plus million budget deficit the city is facing this year. Five percent to 10 percent was cited as a fair amount (The district's response was that most administrators had been held to 1 percent raises over the past three years, while teachers have gotten about 3 percent annual raises.)

Denver Public Schools' Jerry Wartgow is starting his fourth year in the district at the same $200,000 salary as when he came on board, since he has declined each of his annual approved pay raises. And when Metro Nashville had to cut $21 million from its budget, Garcia and the six members of his cabinet took a 3 percent salary cut while other in the district got small raises.

A less noble pay cut may appear when superintendents double-dip, or come out of retirement while still collecting a pension. "People are cut ting deals with districts where they're actually taking lower salaries, but with retirement they're making more money. So they look like a hero to the school district," says Houston. That's his theory on why average salaries for superintendents have gone down a bit this year.

Alicia Williams, director of survey research for ERS, is also thinking retirement may be playing a role in the average salary decrease, although in a more straightforward way. As seasoned superintendents retire, new superintendents with less experience would likely be getting a lower base salary. The downed economy of the past few years may also be at work, Williams says. Looking at 10-year figures, she points out that the percentage increases tend to ebb and flow, although this is the only decrease of the decade.

A SWEETER DEAL

Amidst the compensation scrutiny is a fact that school boards just can't ignore. There is still a superintendent shortage, meaning it's a seller's market in both new contract negotiation and contract re-negotiation. "Boards are making more of an effort if they really have a good superintendent to keep [him or her] and to relate that to their compensation," says Jerry Selletin, executive director of Nebraska Council of School Administrators.

So keeping the deal palatable, even in tough economic times, is viewed as crucial. Glass points out, "If the board says, 'We're going to give you the same amount that you got last year,' isn't that a de facto way of telling you, 'You haven't done a good job'"?

In last fall's Colorado Association of School Executives superintendent study, 46 percent of the state's K-12 leaders said improving compensation is a "very effective" retention tool. It was seen as the most effective tool, in fact, with "making pension/benefits more portable between states and districts" also scoring high.

One respondent drove the point home about the importance of boards rewarding top leaders. "In our district, they don't want to pay me, but I could move and make more money. I'd like to commit [to my district] and stay. There would be more stability in it for the district," he wrote.

Competitive pressures were at work in Minnesota in the mid-90's when the salary cap of 90 percent of the governor's salary for public employees was removed for superintendents. Now it's just these leaders and judges who can make more than that.

Glass says there's one reward that would really make today's superintendents enthusiastic-more administrative help in the central office. Lack of time is consistently named as one of the most difficult challenges for superintendents. "Believe me, [additional help] would be a strong motivation," he says, adding that he hasn't heard of anyone getting that reward directly.

Feeling valued, of course, is not something that has to relate to a bud get line item. "In most cases, [superintendents are] not going to make what they think they're worth, and they're never going to make what they think the job entails," Houston says. So they look to be treated fairly. And they look inside themselves.

"If they can develop positive relations with the board and staff and community, it goes a long way toward their feelings of efficacy and sense of satisfaction on the job," says Jana Caldwell, director of communications at CASE.

Selletin adds, "I think there's still the attitude that 'I have a great opportunity. I'm very fortunate to have a job working with children, seeing them progress forward.'"

RUDY CREW 

Superintendent, Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Hired: July 2004

Salary: $295,000

Perks: $50,000 to $80,000 annual bonus, car, home "loan" paid for by outside donations

VICKI L. PHILLIPS

Superintendent, Portland (Ore.) Public Schools

Hired: August 2004

Salary: $198,000

Perks: $27,000 tax-sheltered annuity, performance incentives (amounts not yet determined at press time)

THANDIWE PEEBLES

Superintendent, Minneapolis Public Schools 

Hired: July 2004

Salary: $163,500

Perks: $700 per-month auto allowance, health club membership, cell phone, laptop 

FLOYD CRUES

Superintendent, St. Louis Public Schools

Hired: July 2004

Salary: $220,000

Perks: Possible $42,000 in bonuses, gym membership, social club membership, $2,500 per-month misc. expense account

MORE FOR MOST,
LESS FOR LEADERS
AT THE HELM

                                         Mean of Average
                                          Salaries for:

                                     2002-2003  2003-2004

Superintendent                       $126,268    $125,609    -0.5%
Deputy/Associate Superintendent      $112,104    $113,790    +1.5%
Assistant Superintendent              $98,623    $100,808    +2.2%
Director, Finance and Business        $81,451     $82,269    +1.0%
Director, Instructional Services      $84,640     $84,866    +0.3%
Director, Staff Personnel Services    $85,041     $86,333    +1.5%
Director, Technology                  $73,931     $76,139    +3.0%
Subject-Area Supervisor               $66,582     $67,098    +0.8%

Behind the Numbers: Among central-office administrators, all job
titles besides superintendent posted an increase in mean of average
salaries paid between 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. It seems
superintendents have more in common with building-level colleagues
than their central-office colleagues right now. At the school
level, with the exception of elementary school assistant principals
(whose average salaries stayed the same), principals and assistant
principals at all school levels also experienced average salary
decreases.

Notes:
Where more than one administrator performs the same function,
respondents were asked to report salary for the one administrator
with primary responsibility in that area.

Source: Salaries and Wages Paid Professional and Support Personnel
in Public Schools, 2003-2004, Education Research Service, www.ers.org

Note: Table made from bar graph.

A DECADE OF DOLLARS

                                          Mean of Average
                                         Salaries and Wages
                                              Paid:

                                     2003-2004   2003-2004
                                       over        over
Position/Function                    1998-1999   1993-1994

Superintendent (contract salary)       18.4%       43.2%
Deputy/Associate Superintendent        22.4        44.6
Assistant Superintendent               17.2        38.7
Director, Finance and Business         15.2        37.1
Director, Instructional Services       12.1        31.2
Director, Staff Personnel Services     16.9        35.6
Subject-Area Supervisor                 9.8        27.0

                                         Mean of Minimum
                                        Scheduled Salaries:

                                     2003-2004   2003-2004
                                       over        over
Position/Function                    1998-1999   1993-1994

Superintendent (contract salary)       18.4%       43.2%
Deputy/Associate Superintendent        16.9        36.7
Assistant Superintendent               16.7        36.0
Director, Finance and Business         14.7        32.6
Director, Instructional Services       14.3        31.8
Director, Staff Personnel Services     14.2        31.1
Subject-Area Supervisor                11.7        25.3

Behind the Numbers: In the second half of the decade,
central-office administrators had a greater rate of growth in
average salaries than any other sub-group of employees,
icluding building-level adminsitrators, auxiliary professional
personnel (counselors, librarians, nurses), secretarial/clerical
personnel and other support personnel (including teacher aides,
custodians, cafeteria workers and bus drivers). The scope of
responsibilities for district-level administrators has increased
significantly over the past 10 years. Much of the 10-year growth
in salaries for central-office adminstrators is concentrated in
larger districts, those with 10,000 or more pupils.

Notes:
Where more than one adminsitrator performs the same function,
respondents were asked to report salary for the one adminstrator
with primary responsibility in that area. Minimum scheduled
salaries refer to salary schedules typically built around an
employee's educational degree status and the number of years
of experience in the position. Because director of technology
positions were not tracked until 2001-2002, five-and 10-year
comparisons aren't possible.

Source: Salaries and Wages Professional and Support Personel in
Public Schools, 2003-2004, Educational Research Service,
www.ers.org

WHO'S MAKING WHAT
Mean of Averages Salaries, 2003-2004

                                           Geographic Region (2)

                                           New
Position/Function (1)                  England     Mideast   Southeast

Superintendent                         $115,623    $135,562   $123,440
Deputy/Associate Superintendent             --      135,190    105,394
Assistant Superintendent                100,814     114,954     88,570
Director, Finance and Business           74,782      93,339     75,862
Director, Instructional Services         78,888      96,309     77,933
Director, Staff Personnel Services       88,726      89,742     79,479
Director, Technology                     69,477      83,540     70,911
Subject-Area Supervisor                     --       85,873     62,224

                                           Georgraphic Region (2)

                                         Great
Position/Function (1)                    Lakes      Plains   Southwest

Superintendent                         $122,745    $114,120   $136,639
Deputy/Associate Superintendent         114,072     106,734    108,730
Assistant Superintendent                107,427     100,219     91,785
Director, Finance and Business           87,349      83,741     79,111
Director, Instructional Services         88,400      80,907     79,466
Director, Staff Personnel Services       93,279      88,477     81,568
Director, Technology                     82,171      66,425     72,721
Subject-Area Supervisor                  67,894      64,336     59,607

                                    Georgraphic Region (2)

                                         Rocky         Far
Position/Function (1)                    Mtns.        West

Superintendent                         $103,700    $134,121
Deputy/Associate Superintendent             --      122,506
Assistant Superintendent                 92,665     110,879
Director, Finance and Business           70,359      87,627
Director, Instructional Services         73,495      97,674
Director, Staff Personnel Services       78,933      92,928
Director, Technology                     66,118      85,906
Subject-Area Supervisor                  67,058      72,889

                                             Enrollment Group (3)

                                                   10,000      2,500
                                      25,000         to         to
Position/Function                     or more      24,999      9,999

Superintendent                         $174,805    $140,435   $117,839
Deputy/Associate Superintendent         122,127     112,862    105,620
Assistant Superintendent                108,618     105,256     95,457
Director, Finance and Business          100,849      90,450     78,553
Director, Instructional Services         96,429      90,373     80,899
Director, Staff Personnel Services       97,350      88,822     78,664
Director, Technology                     95,623      82,169     73,533
Subject-Area Supervisor                  71,490      67,380     63,800

                                       Enrollment Group (3)

                                                  AVERAGE
                                        300       for All
                                        to        Reporting
Position/Function                      2,499      Systems

Superintendent                          $96,387    $125,609
Deputy/Associate Superintendent             --      113,790
Assistant Superintendent                 91,253     100,808
Director, Finance and Business           64,047      82,269
Director, Instructional Services         66,648      84,866
Director, Staff Personnel Services       57,536      86,333
Director, Technology                     55,095      76,139
Subject-Area Supervisor                  59,260      67,098

Behind the numbers: School system size and salary levels of
central-office personnel are clearly related. As a district
gets larger and more complex (and the number of staff
to supervise increases), the average salaries paid to employees
in the central office, as well as the scheduled salaries for
these positions, tend to increase as well. In the largest
disricts, directors of finance and business tend to have the
highest salaries. But in other districts, particularly those
with enrollments of fewer than 2,500 pupils, those responsible
for instructional and staff personnel services are paid more
than other directors.

Notes:

(1) Where more than one administrator performs the same function,
respondents were asked to report salary for the one adminsitrator
with primary responsibility in that area.

(2) States included in georgraphic regions: New England: CT, ME,
MA, NH, RI, VT; Mideast: DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA; Southeast: AL,
AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV; Great Lakes: IL,
IN, MI, OH, WI; Plains: IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD; Southwest:
AZ, NM, OK, TX; Rocky Mountains: CO, ID, MT, UT, WY; Far West:
AK, CA, HI, NV, OR, WA

(3) Enrollment is defined as all students in grades K-12, with
half-day kindergartners counting as half-pupils.

--Insufficients data reported

Source: Salaries and Wages Paid Professional and Support Personnel
in Public Schools, 2003-2004, Educational Research Service,
www.ers.org

ONE DAY AT A TIME
Mean of Average Daily Rates, 2003-2004

                                            Georgraphic Region (2)

                                        New
Position/Function (1)                 England     Mideast    Southeast

Superintendent                       $504.31      $552.15     $502.28
Deputy/Associate Superintendent          --        556.49      428.51
Assistant Superintendent              439.01       477.97      360.13
Director, Finance and Business        324.21       383.29      308.86
Director, Instructional Services      353.02       393.36      322.34
Director, Staff Personnel Services    382.91       367.76      325.57
Director, Technology                  315.18       345.01      290.04
Subject-Area Supervisor                  --        384.13      256.35

                                            Georgraphic Region (2)

                                      Great
Position/Function (1)                 Lakes       Plains    Southwest

Superintendent                       $510.63      $470.87     $596.48
Deputy/Associate Superintendent       482.02       439.25      464.82
Assistant Superintendent              457.35       416.52      394.55
Director, Finance and Business        362.15       350.88      340.50
Director, Instructional Services      382.30       346.95      342.85
Director, Staff Personnel Services    389.86       373.34      350.84
Director, Technology                  353.56       291.93      313.01
Subject-Area Supervisor               308.67       287.31      265.49

                                     Georgraphic Region (2)

                                      Rocky          Far
Position/Function (1)                 Mtns.         West

Superintendent                       $435.19      $587.46
Deputy/Associate Superintendent          --        540.77
Assistant Superintendent              380.63       488.29
Director, Finance and Business        288.52       372.37
Director, Instructional Services      323.47       436.29
Director, Staff Personnel Services    325.69       404.59
Director, Technology                  281.08       370.75
Subject-Area Supervisor               296.91       329.64

                                              Enrollment Group (3)

                                                 10,000       2,500
                                     25,000        to          to
Position/Function                    or more     24,999       9,999

Superintendent                       $745.45      $594.43     $499.75
Deputy/Associate Superintendent       510.09       478.87      458.86
Assistant Superintendent              457.05       445.62      410.23
Director, Finance and Business        422.80       378.47      330.18
Director, Instructional Services      405.13       387.46      351.94
Director, Staff Personnel Services    407.07       377.15      334.67
Director, Technology                  398.37       347.96      313.05
Subject-Area Supervisor               307.08       294.57      290.31

                                      Enrollment Group (3)

                                                AVERAGE
                                       300      for All
                                       to       Reporting
Position/Function                     2,499     Systems

Superintendent                       $403.55      $531.80
Deputy/Associate Superintendent          --        481.91
Assistant Superintendent              387.06       428.72
Director, Finance and Business        265.24       344.45
Director, Instructional Services      297.32       366.09
Director, Staff Personnel Services    242.18       365.57
Director, Technology                  246.87       324.61
Subject-Area Supervisor               274.50       295.77

Behind the Numbers: Average daily rates among central-office
administrators tend to increase based on district size,
with the largest districts paying the most. Among regions,
the Mideast and Far West states have relatively the highest
salaries for personnel at all levels of school systems.

Notes:

(1) Where more than one administrator performs the same
function, respondents were asked to report salary for
the one administrator with primary responsibility in that area.

(2) States included in geographic regions: New England: CT, ME,
MA, NH, Rl, VT; Mideast: DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA; Southeast: AL,
AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV;
Great Lakes: IL, IN, MI, OH, WI; Plains: IA, KS, MN, MO, NE,
ND, SD; Southwest: AZ, NM, OH, TX; Rocky Mountains: CO, ID,
MT, UT, WY; Far West; AK, CA, HI, NV, OR, WA

(3) Enrollment is defined as all students in grades K-12, with
half-day kindergartners counting as half-pupils.

--Insufficient data reported

Source: Salaries and Wages Paid Professional and Support
Personnel in Public Schools, 2003-2004, Educational
Research Service, www.ers.org

ED-TECH COMPENSATION
Comparison to Overall Technology Field

                                     2003 Total Average Compensation (1)

Position                             Education (2)   All Industries

Chief Information Officer/VP of IT   $107,390        $153,969 (3)
Chief Technology Officer             $102,000 (3)    $149,716
Director of IT/IS Operations         $81,485         $104,517

Behind the Numbers: Although salaries are lower in education,
the salary percentage increase from 2002 to 2003 was greater
for these positions in the education industry than those in
all technology industries overall.

Notes:

(1) Compensation includes salary and bonus

(2) Respondent may be in any area of the education industry,
not just K-12

(3) Response base for these categories are low and should
be used for comparison only

Source: Computerworld magazine's Salary Survey, October 2003,
www.computerworld.com

Note: Table made from bar graph.

METHODOLOGY: Unless otherwise noted, data is taken from Salaries and Wages Paid Professional and Support Personnel in Public Schools. 2003-2004, published by Arlington, Va.-based Educational Research Service ERS has been conducting surveys on salaries and wages in public schools annually since 1972. The 100-page report was based on surveys mailed to 1,940 of the approximately 11,206 public school systems in the U.S. that enroll 300 or more students, a universe that includes 55 percent of the total enrolled students in the U.S. Of those asked to participate, 527 school systems provided data for the survey.

The mission of ERS is to be the premier provider of timely, objective and reliable pre K-12 research and information that education leaders need to make informed decisions (in both day to day operations and long term planning) that improve student achievement and benefit all children. Online and print subscriptions to ERS research and information services, as well as customized analyses and comparative profiles, are available to all U.S. school districts 800-791-9308, www.ers.org

Melissa Ezarik is features editor.