Casey Co. board approves $136,000 in raises for 17 administrators - for some, first salary boost in eight years; superintendent: top staff contributed to Top 10 status
Casey County News, Liberty, March 29, 2017
Casey school administrators get $8,000 raise
By Larry Rowell
After not having had a raise in salary during the last eight years, 17 administrators with the Casey County School District will receive raises averaging $8,000 next year.
Approved by the Casey County Board of Education during the March 13 meeting, the administrators — Kevin Stephens, Boyd Harris, Shawn Pierce, Luann Williams, Deena Randolph,Toyah Robey, Craig Griffin, Dawn Terry, Josh Blevins, Kevin Reynolds, Ryan Beard, Jeff Emerson, Daran Wall, David McFadden, Tony Streeval, Matt Willoughby, and Judy Phillips — will begin receiving the raises in FY 2018.
“The administrative index revisions total around $136,000. There are 17 administrators, so that is an average increase of $8,000 per administrator,” said Deena Randolph, manager of districtwide services.
Administrators work year-round, with office hours set at 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Randolph said board members have been looking at ways to increase administrators’ pay since 2011. However, classified staff (non-teachers) and certified staff (teachers) have been or will be compensated with raises.
Classified and certified staff pay schedules were revised two years ago with a 1 percent raise in 2014-15 and a 2 percent raise in 2015-16. Certified and classified staff will receive a 1 percent raise in FY 2018.
Even with seemingly large raises, Superintendent Marion Sowders said the district’s administrators have waited years for a raise, which is well deserved based on the district’s current ranking statewide.
“Our administrators have worked hard for many, many years, and have not seen a significant increase in their pay since FY 2008 when the principals’ extra service pay stipend was last increased. Central office administrators last received an increase in their extra service pay in FY 2004. But yet, all of our administrators have worked very hard and our district ranking has continued to increase each year for several years and we are now a top-10 district. Therefore, our board agreed it is time to recognize that hard work and the efforts of all administrators,” Randolph said.
Information from the Kentucky Department of Education website shows the average Casey’s administrator’s salary is still well below area districts (See accompanying chart).
Danville Independent has the highest paid administrators on average, at $87,874. Casey is the lowest at $70,654, ranking the district’s administrators at 167 of 173 districts in the state.
Not only are Casey administrators underpaid according to state averages, teachers are as well.
According to KDE, in 2015-16, the average salary for a teacher in Casey County was $47,807. Throughout the state, the average pay for a teacher was $52,128.
Even with the 1 percent raise for teachers in FY 2018, taking the 2015-16 average salary, the average increase is just under $500 annually.
“Certified staff members with 25 plus years’ experience will also receive $500 in addition to the 1 percent raise,” Randolph said.
Posted: Tuesday, March 28, 2017