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Board to discuss giving new school chief $270,000 salary
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
The Clark County School District's next superintendent would make $20,000 more a year than top school executives in New York and Los Angeles if the School Board approves a $270,000 salary offer for Colorado Education Commissioner Dwight Jones tonight.
The School Board also is considering making a five-year commitment to Jones, which might conflict with a state law that limits new superintendent contracts to four years. And the board will discuss giving Jones a contract that includes a severance package with a full year's salary and benefits.
Other perks that might be offered include a $10,000 moving allowance, up to four paid trips to Clark County before December, a car allowance of $700 a month, mileage reimbursement and 31 days of vacation time. That amount is seven days more than district administrators get.
Clark County School Board member Linda Young said she has not seen the contract. She was briefed on the negotiated terms by the board's attorneys from the Clark County district attorney's office. The attorneys met with School Board members in small groups to avoid violating the state's open meeting law.
Young said she was doubtful whether the district could live up to the proposed terms because its funding is so uncertain. District officials expect shortfalls in state aid and declines in property tax revenues next year.
"I certainly want to welcome Mr. Jones if he comes here, but I want him to know we're in dire financial straits," Young said. "And I hope he understands that we're not trying to demean his financial support in any way, but we're trying to support our children and their families."
Jones, who was in Salt Lake City for a conference on Wednesday, declined to comment because talks remain open.
Jones said he would like to start working in Clark County by the second week of December. If a contract is approved, he would succeed retiring Superintendent Walt Rulffes as leader of the nation's fifth-largest school district with nearly 310,000 students.
Jones makes $223,680 in Colorado. His family income might decline with a move to Las Vegas because his wife, Jenifer Jones , earns $110,000 as an administrator for Denver Public Schools. He said his wife would not seek a district job.
The couple have a 7-year-old son, Landry, who would enroll in a local public school. Jones also supports two older children in college.
Joel Klein, chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, and Ramon Cortines, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, each earn base salaries of $250,000, said spokesmen from the nation's two largest districts. New York enrolls 1.1 million students. The Los Angeles district has 678,441 students.
Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, is the highest-paid superintendent among the nation's five largest school systems, earning $275,000 in a district with 333,224 students, a spokesman said. Ron Huberman, chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools, earns $230,000 in a district with 409,279 students, according to the Chicago district's website.
Rulffes would have made $307,632 this year if he had not reduced his contract by 20 percent because of hard economic times.
Under Nevada Revised Statute 391.110, the initial contract for a new superintendent is not to exceed four years. That is a safeguard for the state's pension system because state employees do not become vested in the Public Employees Retirement System until completing five years.
Young said she was told that Jones wants a five-year commitment because he will be uprooting his family.
She said it was her understanding that "it wouldn't be a hard five-year contract." The board would be able to end the contract with 90-days notice but would have to pay Jones one year of salary and benefits.
Young said she was confused by the proposed terms.
"If he's fired for a just cause, does he still get that?" Young asked. "My question is have we ever had a five-year contract for a superintendent before? Would we not be setting a precedent?"
Under Rulffes' contract, he is not entitled to severance pay. He is only paid through the last day of his employment.
Young said it was her understanding that Jones was negotiating for more money for moving expenses because he thought $10,000 was not enough. She said that constituents were outraged by the $700 monthly vehicle allowance but that the benefit was comparable with what Rulffes receives.
Young was the only board member who voted against Jones' selection. She said she thought the process was rushed as the board picked Jones two weeks after his name was announced by the search firm of McPherson & Jacobson.
Young said she was disclosing the proposed contract terms for the sake of transparency. "I want as many people to know what I know and give me feedback. My job is to represent them."
School Board President Terri Janison and Vice President Carolyn Edwards did not return calls Wednesday.
As of Wednesday night, supporting agenda material for the board's discussion of the contract had not been not posted online.
The Review-Journal, the Nevada Policy Research Institute and Kevinn Donovan, a parent and Assembly candidate, have been asking the district for contract information since at least Monday, but no details were released until Young spoke Wednesday.
Donovan called the terms outlandish and said he thinks the board wants to "ram" the contract "down our throats" with minimum public disclosure.
Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal.com or 702-374-7917.
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Pay for performance is a horrible idea. Any adults here wanna be paid according to the work of this younger generation. How about this... Education if free for citizens who pass. After a student fails 3 straight years kick them out of school and in order to get back in parents now have to pay. Problem solved
How about Pay for Performance. Kids get better, his pay gets better? I know, what a radical idea!
The time to stop the excesses of this school board is tonight at the board meeting. If people show up and demand to be listened to and demanding a complete stop to this outrageous contract it can and will happen; if not, the excesses will continue for another 4 or 5 years.
@ DELAREY I agree with you
His expertise and experience had nothing to do with him getting hired. The people who run the school board wanted someone who will just go along with them and the union. They don't care about the kids or they would have hired the woman who wanted vouchers. We really need to get rid of Carolyn Edwards and vote for Ken Small for school board. That is an important vote if you care about the children. Check him out at www.kensmallbigchange.com
Nice try Dan, but no sale. Jones went through the screening and selection process where his experience and expertise were judged to be superior by the vast majority of those involved in the selection process. The racist posse that hangs out here immediately started posting ugly, demeaning, insulting racist stereotypes about him and implying that race was the determining factor in his selection. The burden of proof is not on me. The burden of proof is on you.
In situations like this I am reminded of the Imperial Army of the Emerald City of Oz, which, if I recall, had eight generals, six colonels, four majors, two captains, and one private. And it wouldn't have had the private, if someone hadn't realized that any army needs SOMEONE to actually do the work, and take orders from all those officers!
I agree with the previous posters. Let's go after Michelle Rhee from DC. She has the right approach. If Vegas isn't close enough to her fiance in Sacramento, we could even go after the interim chancellor (Kaya Henderson) that worked for her, and will probably only be in office until their new mayor starts.
Guys say what you want, but teachers should be paid more than a base of $28,000, principals should get a lil more than their $100,000, and a superintendent should be paid in the $300,000 range. Example: A principal runs the school, runs 3 different payrolls, balances state and federal funds, supervises 1/3 of the staff (other admin supervises others), plus supervises their adminstration. Guys people on wall street do WAY less for our children and make WAY more.
PS - Just remember that if a line worker asks for an exorbitant salary, then he or she is a filthy socialist union agitator trying to undermine our democracy. But if a senior executive asks for an exorbitant salary, then he or she probably deserves it because they would be senior executives at all if they hadn't worked hard and sacrificed all their lives! Not to mention simply being smarter than everyone else.