Democrat schools superintendent candidate John Cox is superintendent of one of the smallest K-8 school districts in Oklahoma, but earns $141,678 per year which is nearly twice the state average for an administrator while teachers there are paid less than the state average.
The figures released come from the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability, but Reps. Todd Thomsen and Lee Denney say the total Cox compensation costs could be significantly more than reported.
“While teachers are struggling statewide, John Cox is earning an astronomical amount for an administrator of a K-8 school district where he manages 13 or so teachers. I was surprised when I saw his contract, and there are additional costs above and beyond his salary,” Denney said.
“This is very hypocritical for a candidate for state superintendent to pay his teachers under the state average and below districts the same size while he’s campaigning at the same time for teacher pay raises. His 20 year record doesn’t match his performance, and then to be earning such a large salary for himself is disappointing,.” she said.
Thomsen, part of the state House leadership said, “Every parent and teacher in rural Oklahoma, and across the state, should be outraged. He’s gaming the system.”
Thomsen, of Ada, and Denney, of Cushing, both represent districts with rural schools and say these are the real victims of administrators like Cox. “We want our local schools to thrive, but how can they when an administrator like John Cox games the system? It puts all of the school administrators in a negative light and is frankly just an insult to teachers,” Thomsen said.
“This hefty contract comes at the expense of students and teachers,” Thomsen said.
The state average salary for school administrators is $76,424 compared to Cox’s $141,678 salary, according to the office of Educational Quality and Accountability*. But the average number of teachers statewide per district is 71.2 compared to 13.3 teachers in Peggs. The state average number of enrolled students per district is 1271 while Peggs’ enrollment is 264.
http://www.schoolreportcard.org/2013/reports/drc/201311C031.pdf
Talk about calling the kettle black … Our Oklahoma State Legislators are some of the highest paid in the country. That’s not even including the State Retirement program they’ve setup for themselves … Just think one can retire after 8 years of state part-time service with approximately 50% of their annual pay … Give or take a few pennies.
How about let’s having a compensation review bill this year at the Capital Rep. Denney, and Thomsen reducing the price we Oklahoman Tax Payers are paying you Legislators, and including your daily per diem?
http://ballotpedia.org/Comparison_of_state_legislative_salaries
Good information to know… if he can scam a tiny school district out of thousands of dollars, think what he could do on the state level. Thanks TMR for putting the truth out there!
I would question the local school board. Do they not set the salaries? Has Cox pulled the wool over their eyes?
I would also question the results. How are the students coming out of Peggs doing in high school? How are the 13.3 [sic] teachers supported in their teaching?
If the answers to these questions are unsatisfactory, then I would agree that Cox is “gaming the system” and turn my vote to Hoffmeister.
Peggs teachers’ pay is a little lower than average, but so is their average years of experience; and the % of teachers with advanced degrees is significantly below average. Everything else on the report seems pretty average – Except for the administrator’s pay.
With only one administrator, he is managing a few more teachers than average, but not that many more. He doesn’t set his own salary though, does he? Or, does he?
The problem in some small school districts, is that the Super basically controls the school board, which is supposed to be controlling the district. Once in place, he will get his supporters in the community to run for the board (often unapposed in small communities); then it’s basically, whatever the Super wants, he gets. Been there, seen it, and it’s ugly.
I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS THE CASE IN PEGGS! Anyone from Peggs want to weigh in?
This is a valid issue, however he is being paid as a principal and a Supt of a small district. So yes it is higher. Supt across the state typically earn $100k plus that discussion is a book on it’s own. But to say he makes more than other administrators who typically are not classified as Supt. positions is not accurate. Makes a nice story though. School Boards set the Supt pay not the Supt. they can accept or counter of course like in any job. If people don’t want them making so much let’s merge districts but then we can’t have that now can we??
http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/Superintendents_List_12-13_Oct.pdf
Well, he’s not alone in getting a fat salary in a small district. We have over 500 school districts, about 200 more than Kansas, and many of the superintendents in small districts get salaries in the $90,000 to $100,000 range. But I have to admire his salary – he’s ahead of the pack.
And no, he doesn’t set his own salary. That’s done by the school board. But what you do find in many school boards – regardless of whether the district is big or little – is that they are the handmaidens of the superintendent and forget that they are supposed to represent the taxpayers.