School superintendent gives up $800k in pay

[Tuesday Afternoon]

By TRACIE CONE

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Some people give back to their community. Then there's Fresno County School Superintendent Larry Powell, who's really giving back. As in $800,000 — what would have been his compensation for the next three years.

Until his term expires in 2015, Powell will run 325 schools and 35 school districts with 195,000 students, all for less than a starting California teacher earns.

"How much do we need to keep accumulating?" asks Powell, 63. "There's no reason for me to keep stockpiling money."

Powell's generosity is more than just a gesture in a region with some of the nation's highest rates of unemployment. As he prepares for retirement, he wants to ensure that his pet projects survive California budget cuts. And the man who started his career as a high school civics teacher, who has made anti-bullying his mission, hopes his act of generosity will help restore faith in the government he once taught students to respect

more at link:
http://news.yahoo.com/school-superintendent-gives-800k-pay-150206667.html

[DCKit]

1. Wow. What a dude! nt

[MadHound]

2. Great move on his part,

But really now, why the hell was he getting $800,000/yr to begin with. I know of no superintendent who is worth that much.

[Little Star]

3. I think it was $800,00 for 3 years. n/t

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. Nice gesture but 288k per year?

>>>Powell's answer? Ask his board to allow him to return $288,241 in salary and benefits for the next three and a half years of his term. He technically retired, then agreed to be hired back to work for $31,000 a year — $10,000 less than a first-year teacher — and with no benefits.>>>>

That sounds like an awfully large salary for any school district.


A superintendant is basically a glorified ( or politically connected) principal. A principal is usually a teacher who wants to move up for $$$$ reasons ( one can now see why) or because they're bored.


288k pre annum , eh?

Sheeeezzz.

[Creideiki]

13. How much do you think the hedge fund billionaires should get paid?

This guy has to actually make decisions that affect the futures of thousands of students. Hedge fund billionaires shuffle money from one pot to another and get paid pretty much this in a fraction of the time. (If it were their monthly salary, that would be 3.6 million per year, and that's still below their compensation by orders of magnitude.)

The priorities in this country are screwed up.

[Smarmie Doofus]

16. Apples/oranges. A better comparison would be with....

... the teachers whom he hires to work under/for him : 41K.

288K vs. 41k.

>This guy has to actually make decisions that affect the futures of thousands of students.>>>>

Oh the pain. Where I live 50% 0f the new teaching force is gone after 3 years. It's that difficult.

How long's this super been in office?

[Creideiki]

22. I'm so sorry. Don't worry. Compassion implants don't take in all people.

But if you try again soon, it probably will.

[Zax2me]

17. I don't know. Ask George Soros.

But I do know 288k a year is outrageous for any school super.

[NYC_SKP]

23. The man is not a "school super", not even a "school district super"...

This man is a County Superintendent of Schools.

Basically, oversees all the schools and districts in Fresno County.

There's a difference, 288k isn't a crazy number for the responsibilities and duties.

IMHO.

[alarimer]

24. They're paid that much because other school districts pay that much.

It's sort of an arms race. These superintendents jump ship for a bigger paycheck at the drop of a hat, so school districts have no choice but to pay them a king's ransom.

[TexasProgresive]

5. Now if others in his position would follow his example. n/t

[titaniumsalute]

6. I don't necessarily agree

While $288K per year is a lot of money to you and me such a high profile position with such huge responsibility should be paid that amount. If he was overseeing a corporation with the same amount of employees, revenue, etc. he'd be paid millions with huge benefits, jets, and stock options.

[TexasProgresive]

18. When the SOBs are RIFTing employees, cutting pay an benefits and

outsourcing work off shore they should bite the bullet and give themselves a commiserate pay and perks cut.

And school superintendents are tops on that list in school districts where they are responsible for draconian cuts to school budgets. First place I would put a superintendents excess pay in directly in teacher pay packets.

I'm sorry but I don't have a lot of sympathy for CEOs and whatever-many are freeloaders. No one is worth the kind of compensation that they vote for each other on their interlocking boards. NO ONE!

[titaniumsalute]

21. If you couple the magnitude of his job and the importance of his job

He should be paid what he's paid. One reason why school systems suck at finding new employees is because pay is not commensurate with the work involved at all levels. Teachers, bus drivers, counselors, principals, etc. are all not paid very well when you look at both the demand/time on the job and the importance of their job.

A CEO who oversees tens of thousands of jobs and the magnititude of what this guy is doing would be paid millions. I don't think it is too much to pay someone like this $288k per year.

[sammytko]

19. He manages almost 200,000 employees - its a pain in the butt job

Good for him!

[YellowRubberDuckie]

7. First of all, why was he making that much to begin with?

If they would cut administration costs, they could have new books and computers. Ridiculous!

[titaniumsalute]

8. It isn't ridiculous

They guy is managing 325 schools. $288K per year is more than fair for this type of job. You should eb asking why a CEO makes $10 million per year while not raising the salaries of employees for 2 -3 years at a time.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

9. It said $800,000 in the OP?

:shrug:

[titaniumsalute]

10. over 3 years

[titaniumsalute]

11. I agree $800K per year would be nuts

[TBF]

15. Agree - if people read the entire OP they would see the $800K

was for 3 years, which is less than most CEO's make.

[n2doc]

12. Well there goes his membership in the 'job creators' club!

Seriously, he is a rare one. Too bad most people in his situation won't follow his example during these lean times.

[eilen]

14. Actually he does create jobs

It is up to him to come up with proposals to the school board for school closures and school openings. He decides whether to add an additional 3rd grade class or bus drivers or to increase the reading staff. He may send a proposal for renovations for his schools. It's his call for snow days.

He sounds very dedicated to his mission.

[undeterred]

20. It was a very generous move on his part.

If he didn't need the money he could have simply retired. But to keep working till 67 and put the money back into the school district sets a good example and shows he really cares about the students. I saw him interviewed on NBC this morning. Very humble, gracious man. Called himself financially healthy.


:applause: