TPS Board Unanimously Raises Administrators' Pay

By Ashli Sims, The News On 6

TULSA, OK – Tulsa Public Schools, facing a multi-million dollar budget shortfall, raises some administrators' pay by thousands.

The Tulsa School Board unanimously approved a slate of new salaries, including some that called for 10, 20 and nearly 30 percent increases.

For example, TPS's new interim chief human capital officer could get a monthly stipend that will raise his salary by $26,000.

That's a 28-percent bump from last year.           

This comes at a time, when TPS is staring into a $3.5 million budget hole.

TPS superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard says these are not pay raises, but promotions.

He says there are six positions he's elevated to streamline his administration and they are taking on the work of several other high-ranking positions that have gone unfilled.

The union representative for TPS support employees points out lots of people are doing more work, for the same amount of money.

"Incredibly disappointed with the board, we, the support employees, feel incredible disgust for what they've just done," said Kelly Simon, American Federation of Teachers Local 6049.

"That's their salary. If we're going to cut salaries, and that would represent a cut to them, because they're supposed to be at that level. So if we're going to cut, let's do it fairly and across the board," Ballard said.

The superintendent says the other salary adjustments are to people who are not making what they should, according to their peers in the district, and that could have legal implications.

Read Below to see her coverage of this story from the last few days.

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa Public School, facing a multi-million dollar budget shortfall, considers thousands of dollars in pay raises for administrators.

The Tulsa School Board is set to vote on a slate of new salaries tonight at 7 p.m.

Tulsa School Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard says there are six positions he has elevated to streamline his administration and they are taking on the work of several other high-ranking positions that have gone unfilled.

Ballard says this reorganization spends $60,000 to save more than $300,000. 

The News On 6 asked him why not wait until the district is in better financial shape.

"Because that's the wrong thing to do. To do that would be completely lacking in integrity on my part. That's their salary. If we're going to cut salaries, and that would represent a cut to them, because they're supposed to be at that level. So if we're going to cut, lets do it fairly and across the board," Ballard said.

The superintendent says the other pay adjustments are to people who are not making what they should, compared to peers, and that could have legal implications.

But Doctor Ballard is back pedaling on bonuses for six high school principals.After a thorough review this morning, he is changed his mind and pulled that item from the agenda.

Read Ashli Sims Full story below on the raises wrote Wednesday night. 

TULSA, OK -- Millions of dollars in the hole and still Tulsa Public Schools considers handing out thousands in pay raises for administrators.

Tulsa Public Schools is considering salary raises of 10, 20 and nearly 30% above current levels.

This comes as TPS is staring into a $3.5 million budget deficit.

Tulsa School Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard says this money was already promised, and it would not be right to take it back.

Last month, Dr. Ballard issued a dire warning about the district's financial situation.

"If this budget plays out the way I have forecast it today, there absolutely will be loss of jobs, there absolutely will be layoffs," Ballard said.

His predictions have proven to be true, state revenues continue to plummet; a 5% budget cut has ballooned to ten.

Tulsa Public Schools has slashed substitute teachers, pushed early retirements hoping to eliminate 100 jobs, and asked thousands of employees to take three days off without pay.

Even still, pay for some is going up.

Fifteen employees could see stipends and salary adjustments of more than $105,000.

Tulsa Public School's new interim chief human capital officer could get a monthly stipend that will raise his salary by $26,000.

That is a 28% increase from last year.

The interim assistant superintendent of support services could also get a substantial raise, $18,000, a 22% increase.

The district wants to pay it's area superintendents another 6% which works out to an extra $6,000 each.

Both of their salaries were raised last year, when they took the promotions.

The Interim Program Management Officer could receive a 10% $8,700, whom also saw a 16% increase from 2008 to 2009, when the job title changed.

Dr. Ballard insists these are not raises.  He says all of these bumps in pay correspond to additional duties he's assigned.

For Ballard, this comes down to integrity. He asked these people to do more, promised to pay them more for it, and intends to keep his word.

All of the additional pay must first be approved by the Tulsa School board.