• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
MENUMENU
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • FlaglerLive Board of Directors
    • Comment Policy
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Values
    • Privacy Policy
  • Live Calendar
  • Submit Obituary
  • Submit an Event
  • Support FlaglerLive
  • Advertise on FlaglerLive (386) 503-3808
  • Search Results

FlaglerLive

No Bull, no Fluff, No Smudges

MENUMENU
  • Flagler
    • Flagler County Commission
    • Beverly Beach
    • Economic Development Council
    • Flagler History
    • Mondex/Daytona North
    • The Hammock
    • Tourist Development Council
  • Palm Coast
    • Palm Coast City Council
    • Palm Coast Crime
  • Bunnell
    • Bunnell City Commission
    • Bunnell Crime
  • Flagler Beach
    • Flagler Beach City Commission
    • Flagler Beach Crime
  • Cops/Courts
    • Circuit & County Court
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • Federal Courts
    • Flagler 911
    • Fire House
    • Flagler County Sheriff
    • Flagler Jail Bookings
    • Traffic Accidents
  • Rights & Liberties
    • Fourth Amendment
    • First Amendment
    • Privacy
    • Second Amendment
    • Seventh Amendment
    • Sixth Amendment
    • Sunshine Law
    • Third Amendment
    • Religion & Beliefs
    • Human Rights
    • Immigration
    • Labor Rights
    • 14th Amendment
    • Civil Rights
  • Schools
    • Adult Education
    • Belle Terre Elementary
    • Buddy Taylor Middle
    • Bunnell Elementary
    • Charter Schools
    • Daytona State College
    • Flagler County School Board
    • Flagler Palm Coast High School
    • Higher Education
    • Imagine School
    • Indian Trails Middle
    • Matanzas High School
    • Old Kings Elementary
    • Rymfire Elementary
    • Stetson University
    • Wadsworth Elementary
    • University of Florida/Florida State
  • Economy
    • Jobs & Unemployment
    • Business & Economy
    • Development & Sprawl
    • Leisure & Tourism
    • Local Business
    • Local Media
    • Real Estate & Development
    • Taxes
  • Commentary
    • The Conversation
    • Pierre Tristam
    • Diane Roberts
    • Guest Columns
    • Byblos
    • Editor's Blog
  • Culture
    • African American Cultural Society
    • Arts in Palm Coast & Flagler
    • Books
    • City Repertory Theatre
    • Flagler Auditorium
    • Flagler Playhouse
    • Flagler Youth Orchestra
    • Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
    • Palm Coast Arts Foundation
    • Special Events
  • Elections 2024
    • Amendments and Referendums
    • Presidential Election
    • Campaign Finance
    • City Elections
    • Congressional
    • Constitutionals
    • Courts
    • Governor
    • Polls
    • Voting Rights
  • Florida
    • Federal Politics
    • Florida History
    • Florida Legislature
    • Florida Legislature
    • Ron DeSantis
  • Health & Society
    • Flagler County Health Department
    • Ask the Doctor Column
    • Health Care
    • Health Care Business
    • Covid-19
    • Children and Families
    • Medicaid and Medicare
    • Mental Health
    • Poverty
    • Violence
  • All Else
    • Daily Briefing
    • Americana
    • Obituaries
    • News Briefs
    • Weather and Climate
    • Wildlife

As Florida Teachers’ Salaries Stagnate or Fall, Superintendent Pay Is Rising

September 12, 2011 | FlaglerLive | 1 Comment

Not a bad line of work to get into.

While many Florida school teachers have seen their salaries decline or stay the same over the last four years, some superintendent salaries are on the rise.

In nine Florida school districts, superintendent salaries increased by 5 percent or more in the last four years, with one school district – Lake County- raising its superintendent salary by 29 percent, according to data on base salaries compiled by the Florida Department of Education.


Click On:

  • Despite Raises, Average Teacher Pay Is Eroding Significantly in Flagler and Florida
  • 4-Year, $168,600 Contract for Superintendent Janet Valentine
  • Teacher Tenure Out, Merit Pay In: Legislature Whips First Bill of 2011 to Gov. Scott
  • Foregoing Raise to Top Staff, School Board Awards 2% to Most Others But Cuts Schedules


On average, school superintendents were paid 1 percent more in 2010-11 than four years ago, or an increase of about $762. During that same time, teachers saw their salaries decrease by $1,200, or 2.5 percent.

Still, while 27 school districts and one university-sponsored charter school are paying their superintendents more than they were four years ago, the majority of school districts gave their superintendents no increase in base salary over the last four years or a new superintendent was hired at a lower salary.

In Miami-Dade County School District, for instance, superintendent Alberto Carvalho makes a base salary of $274,999, about 15 percent less than the district’s superintendent made four years ago.

Some of the salary increases are minor – 1 or 2 percent, while others are significant.

School board members say those districts that did increase administrator pay probably had to, either because they were trying to lure a talented superintendent away from a high performing district, or because of a performance-based incentive.

Nine school superintendents make over $200,000 a year. Those superintendents work in the state’s largest school districts, with the largest base salary going to former Broward County schools superintendent Jim Notter who made $299,425. Notter has since left the job and the district is in the process of finding his replacement.

Some of the biggest salary increases went to small school districts that hired a new superintendent within the last four years. In Lake County, just west of Orlando, Susan Moxley was hired to oversee the district’s 43 schools and was paid $36,680 more than the previous superintendent.

Lake County school board member Jim Miller said Moxley was recruited from nearby Orange County school district and deserves the salary she is earning.

“She does a great job and we’re very pleased,” Miller said. “I don’t feel like she is overpaid.”

But during the same time that Moxley was hired, teachers have seen their salaries decrease on average by 2 percent.

“We have had no money for raises and next year it’s going to be worse,” Miller said. “It’s nothing against the teacher, it’s just the way it is and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.”


In Gilchrist County, Superintendent Don Thomas is paid $114,030, an increase of 16 percent over the $98,413 salary paid to the superintendent four years ago. Thomas was elected to be superintendent, which means his salary is partially set by a formula in state law that determines pay based on a county’s population.

Some superintendents are elected by county voters while others are appointed by the school board, which has greater authority to negotiate pay because the salary not tied to a formula.

Gilchrist school board member Robert Clemons said Thomas was serving a second stint as a superintendent, having had the job a few years ago. His contract allowed for automatic 3 percent increases.

“When he stepped back into office, his salary was immediately higher than the outgoing superintendent because of that policy,” Clemons explained. Meanwhile, the average teacher salary at Gilchrist schools has stayed flat.

“We realized what was happening and we adopted a policy to stop that practice,” Clemons said. He said the district was “running out of money” and the superintendent agreed to a salary freeze.

“There are going to have to be some salary concessions across the board for a lot of people,” Clemons said.

Some school districts made an effort over the last four years to ensure superintendents and other top-level administrators are not receiving better salary increases than teachers.

Manatee County Schools superintendent Tim McGonegal was up for a $13,000 raise for obtaining his doctorate degree but he said he asked the school board to take it off the table.

“It just doesn’t make sense for me to get a $13,000 raise and have other people take a cut,” McGonegal said.

Two out of the past four years teachers in Manatee County public schools were awarded “step” increases that gave teachers raises based on their years of experience, McGonegal said.

McGonegal makes $171,100 in base salary, but with an expense account and car allowance it amounts to $185,021, according to the school district. That is about 16 percent less than the $220,136 his predecessor made.

McGonegal said how to handle salaries has become a hot topic among superintendents.

“What we’ve done in these salary reductions this year is we have it proposed so top administrators took a higher percentage cut than teachers, and for the lowest paid employees they don’t take any cut at all,” McGonegal said.

–Lilly Rockwell, News Service of Florida

Teacher and Superintendent Salaries, 2007-2011

CountyAverage Salary
2010-11
Salary change
2007-2011
Superintendent Salary
2010-11
Salary change
2007-2011
Alachua$41,204.00-1$159,063.00 0
Baker$42,298.00-1$99,141.00 -14
Bay$42,741.002$117,836.00 -2
Bradford$39,090.00-3$96,354.00 0
Brevard$44,611.00-2$201,999.00 -1
Broward$42,181.00-16$299,425.00 3
Calhoun$39,788.00-1$94,226.00 3
Charlotte$48,088.00 0$144,594.00 -4
Citrus$44,765.00 1$117,345.00 1
Clay$45,353.00 2$121,923.00 1
Collier$52,320.00 1$252,144.00 5
Columbia$41,085.00 -4$107,145.00 -3
Miami-Dade$51,408.00 1$274,999.00 -15
Desoto$41,297.00 -6$95,975.00 -2
Dixie$41,540.00 1$92,208.00 0
Duval$46,541.00 -1$274,999.00 0
Escambia$41,560.00 0$130,794.00-1
Flagler$48,067.00 -1$144,999.00 3
Franklin$42,216.00 8$90,982.00 -5
Gadsden$35,721.00 -4$100,844.00 -2
Gilchrist$42,931.00 0$114,030.00 16
Glades$44,196.00 1$92,543.00 0
Gulf$42,476.00 3$100,770.00 0
Hamilton$42,947.00 -1$91,745.00 -2
Hardee$42,354.00 -2$98,112.00 0
Hendry$42,778.00 0$103,560.00 0
Hernando$42,681.00 5$130,000.00 9
Highlands$44,550.00 2$112,692.00 1
Hillsborough$45,763.00 -2$263,120.00 4
Holmes$41,373.00 0$93,381.00 0
Indian River$45,796.00 2$175,000.00 0
Jackson$40,846.00 -1$100,554.00 1
Jefferson$41,171.00-6$91,710.00 0
Lafayette$42,182.00 3$89,618.00 -2
Lake$41,630.00 -2$165,000.00 29
Lee$45,678.00 1$185,000.00 8
Leon$42,003.00-5$128,334.00 0
Levy$42,927.00 0$100,091.00 1
Liberty$40,047.00 1$87,695.00 -2
Madison$40,882.00 -3$93,534.00 0
Manatee$47,819.00 -3$171,100.00 -22
Marion$43,706.00 5$131,414.00 1
Martin$45,841.00 1$117,478.00 0
Monroe$57,798.00 7$140,524.00 2
Nassau$45,066.00 0$143,636.00 6
Okaloosa$51,082.00 2$123,108.00 0
Okeechobee$43,377.00 1$111,810.00 4
Orange$44,695.00 -2$280,699.00 0
Osceola$45,574.00 2$190,000.00 26
Palm Beach$47,359.00 -5$249,999.00 71
Pasco$42,710.00 -4$134,399.00 -2
Pinellas$45,837.00 -3$203,000.00 -1
Polk$42,726.00 -1$180,000.00 9
Putnam$46,386.00 0$110,468.00 -10
St. Johns$46,673.00 -2$143,663.00 0
St. Lucie$42,413.00 -4$175,038.00 0
Santa Rosa$44,561.00 1$117,549.00 0
Sarasota$55,994.00 4$173,782.00 -2
Seminole$47,985.00 -2$184,320.00 4
Sumter$46,528.00 0$131,286.00 5
Suwanee$46,440.00 6$99,948.00 1
Taylor$41,494.00 -1$94,446.001
Union$37,895.00 1$92,001.00 0
Volusia$44,234.00 -2$171,665.00 -2
Wakulla$40,409.00 -2$121,829.00 0
Walton$45,625.00 -3$103,914.00 1
Washington$42,493.00 -1$97,098.00 -2
Source: Department of Education and News Service of Florida. One important note on superintendent salaries: The numbers are based on base salary and do not include car or travel allowances. Some districts, such as Palm Beach, will show a dramatic increase. That is not because a superintendent got a large raise, but rather because the district went from paying the average salary of two superintendents to the salary of just one.
Support FlaglerLive's End of Year Fundraiser
Thank you readers for getting us to--and past--our year-end fund-raising goal yet again. It’s a bracing way to mark our 15th year at FlaglerLive. Our donors are just a fraction of the 25,000 readers who seek us out for the best-reported, most timely, trustworthy, and independent local news site anywhere, without paywall. FlaglerLive is free. Fighting misinformation and keeping democracy in the sunshine 365/7/24 isn’t free. Take a brief moment, become a champion of fearless, enlightening journalism. Any amount helps. We’re a 501(c)(3) non-profit news organization. Donations are tax deductible.  
You may donate openly or anonymously.
We like Zeffy (no fees), but if you prefer to use PayPal, click here.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Liana G says

    September 12, 2011 at 5:26 pm

    How does this measure up in terms of student population and the socio economics of the school districts. Considering the population of Broward and Palm Beach with the healthy income zip codes to boot, these counties can well afford the salaries they pay out without taking away from resources essential to student learning. We spend 83% of our budget on salaries which means there is not a whole lot left over for student resources, building maintenance, electricity, water, and other essentials.

    We need to restructure the salaries of ALL higher ups in this district to correlate with current and local market conditions. High unemployment means less tax dollars being collected which also means less money to pay these overblown salaries.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Conner Bosch law attorneys lawyers offices palm coast flagler county
  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents

Primary Sidebar

  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents

Recent Comments

  • Ray W, on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, June 4, 2025
  • Wheres the money on New Cell Towers Planned for Palm Coast Parkway East of I-95 and in Seminole Woods, as Business and Safety ‘Necessity’
  • BARBARA A ROYERE on Hammock and Barrier Island Outside Cities Would Pay New Tax to Help Pay for Flagler’s $8.2 Million Beach Plan
  • Ray W, on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, June 4, 2025
  • IS on Palm Coast Council Approves Hiring of Sheriff’s Chief Strobridge on 4-1 Vote; Staly Addresses Risks
  • Steve on Judge Dresses Down Ex-Palm Coast Physician John Cascone Over Probation Violation
  • Laurel on Led by Paul Renner, Board of Governors Rejects Ono’s Appointment as President of UF Over Past Views on DEI
  • Deborah Coffey on American Doctors Are Escaping to Canada. Guess Why.
  • Darlene Shelley on New Cell Towers Planned for Palm Coast Parkway East of I-95 and in Seminole Woods, as Business and Safety ‘Necessity’
  • Ed P on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, June 4, 2025
  • Ray W, on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, June 4, 2025
  • Gullible as can be on Palm Coast Council Approves Hiring of Sheriff’s Chief Strobridge on 4-1 Vote; Staly Addresses Risks
  • Brian Riehle on New Cell Towers Planned for Palm Coast Parkway East of I-95 and in Seminole Woods, as Business and Safety ‘Necessity’
  • NikeMorris on Palm Coast Council Approves Hiring of Sheriff’s Chief Strobridge on 4-1 Vote; Staly Addresses Risks
  • Deborah Coffey on Palm Coast Council Approves Hiring of Sheriff’s Chief Strobridge on 4-1 Vote; Staly Addresses Risks
  • MountainMan on Judge Dresses Down Ex-Palm Coast Physician John Cascone Over Probation Violation

Log in