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NJ moving to remove superintendent salary cap restrictions

Posted By Scott Warnock On In education,virtual children by Scott Warnock | 4 Comments

Last month, the New Jersey State Senate moved to eliminate a state-imposed cap on superintendent salaries, according to the NJ School Board Association [1] (NJSBA). Reversing legislation from a few years ago, this effort will be good for NJ children.

The Department of Education created salary cap legislation, under Governor Chris Christie, in 2011. I get the idea behind it. By limiting superintendent salaries largely based on district size, the restrictions aimed to help schools, but they did the opposite.

Because of the caps, many small-school administrative jobs simply became stepping stones to larger districts. NJSBA data collected in 2014 found that “the salary caps have been a major factor in superintendent turnover and have resulted in a decrease in experience levels of superintendent candidates.” This makes it difficult to establish continuity in admin jobs, creating unstable conditions at many small schools.

By ending the caps, the legislators recognized this problem. I think, though, their actions reinforce an important, broader message: We all pay for public education. Everyone knows that if your district is rich the schools are often better off. That’s life in America. I too like money. I get it. But by strapping small districts with a cap, we hurt them in systemic ways that damage the whole educational mission.

If the state of New Jersey wants to encourage district consolidation, it should do so in open, direct ways. Let’s have a genuine conversation. People often frame such conversations in terms of schools. It’s easy to criticize a school — just look at the overabundance of pathetic school rankings at all levels (especially the U.S. News high school list, which on principle I won’t even link to here).

But we should always be talking about children, front and center. If you attack schools, that doesn’t sound so bad; but if you attack the kids in those schools — well, perhaps for some that’s why it’s better to talk schools.

If you’re all worked up when you hear a salary cap is being removed for a public employee, in this case, I think you can relax. Based on my board experience, salaries and money matters in public schools are very transparent. You don’t need these caps. As NJSBA executive director Lawrence Feinsod put it, “When the restriction was first proposed, NJSBA opposed the cap, terming it an unnecessary ‘cap within caps.’” Multiple layers of oversight and statutes are in place to control salaries. Also, you cannot compare education to business. Many rules obstruct people from running a school like a business: Strict guidelines about budget surpluses, for instance, that make it almost impossible for schools to save for the future.

Talented people can and should seek more money for their talents. According to the NJSBA research, “The salary caps have been a major factor in superintendent turnover and have resulted in a decrease in experience levels of superintendent candidates.” The cap created a real problem for small districts by forcing administrators who want to climb the salary ladder to move to larger districts.

Talent, even in an altruistic profession like public education, will move to where it’s supported and rewarded. Removing the salary caps will help prevent what Feinsod called a possible “vacuum of educational leadership.”

We need to make sure all districts can recruit and maintain talented leaders. I’m lucky in my two districts, Riverton and Palmyra. The transparent nature of the school oversight process is check enough.

Children are not widgets. Regardless of overall district size, one child always equal one child, and, dammit, they all deserve a fair educational playing field.

Summer’s upon us. As you can see by my “dammit,” it’s time for a break. I’ll see you in a month.

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Scott Warnock [5]

Scott Warnock is a writer and teacher who lives in South Jersey. He is a professor of English at Drexel University, where he is also the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education in the College of Arts and Sciences. Father of three and husband of one, Scott is president of a local high school education foundation and spent many years coaching youth sports.
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