Report Questions Raises for Superintendents, Some Numbers Misleading

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY – A new report finds some superintendents across Oklahoma are getting raises this year despite budget cuts.

The report, compiled by Oklahomans for Responsible Government, is putting the spotlight on how much Oklahoma school superintendents are making.

OFRG's report shows that more than 300 districts gave raises to their superintendents of $1,000 or more this school year. Fifty-eight of the administrators now make more than State Superintendent Sandy Garrett, whose salary of $124,000 is set by the state.

Read the full report from the Oklahomans for Responsible Government.

The data from the State Department of Education was compiled as a part of the group's continuing effort to improve transparency in government, according to a news release from OFRG.

"Common education is getting its budget cut like all other agencies this year, but a majority of superintendents got pay raises - some as much as a teacher's salary," said Brian Downs, OFRG Executive Director. "This is money that is not getting into the classroom."

The report shows that more than $51 million was spent on superintendents' salaries this year, a $1 million increase over last year. The number of superintendents making $100,000 or more is up from 175 last year to more than 200 this year.

"Someday we'd like to be able to do a report like this on all administrative costs, but with so few districts putting their budget details on their Web sites, compiling that data is difficult," said Downs. "This is the kind of information taxpayers deserve to have at their fingertips so they can give feedback to their elected officials on the school board."

On paper, the report shows Yukon's superintendent received a $6,500 pay raise, Bethany's a $2,000 raise and Edmond's superintendent received a $4,000 pay raise. But the biggest in the state was in Keota where the superintendent's salary increased by more than $62,000.

But here's where those numbers and others can be misleading. In Keota, only $24,000 were paid out for a superintendent's salary in 2008 because the superintendent resigned and no replacement was named. When a replacement was named in 2009, that's when a full salary was paid which explains why the report shows there was a $62,000 increase.

The same goes for Oklahoma City superintendent Karl Springer. The report shows he made $178,000 in 2008 and jumped up to $200,000 the following year. In reality Springer never took a pay raise. The $22,000 increase reflects his benefits such as health and retirement.

Not all the numbers are misleading. There were plenty of superintendents who, in fact, took raises. OFRG said it's a wake-up call for parents and tax-payers, and a reminder that it's school board members use state money to set the salaries for these superintendents.