Transparency needed for public support of education
I write about your editorial, “Details of superintendent’s contract must be public” (May 13).
Sen. Dan Cronin, Rep. Sandra Pihos and I recently passed legislation to require school districts to post on the Internet every detail of school administrators’ contracts, including perks like cars, annuities, life insurance and expense accounts.
Transparency is key for the public to have confidence in our schools or government. SB 2270 is awaiting the governor’s signature and it will force Community Unit District 201 and all schools to disclose how tax dollars are spent on administrators.
State Sen. Kirk W. Dillard, R-24th District, of Hinsdale
Amends the School Code. Requires school districts to post on their Internet website an itemized salary compensation report for every employee in the district holding an administrative certificate and working in that capacity, including the district superintendent. Sets forth what the salary compensation report must include. Requires the report to be presented at a regular school board meeting, subject to applicable notice requirements, and submitted to the office of the district’s regional superintendent of schools, which shall make copies available to any individual requesting them. With respect to a requirement that a school district post the contract that the school board enters into with an exclusive bargaining representative, requires the school board to provide the terms of that contract online. Effective immediately.
Passed both houses May 19th. Local area State Senators Dan Cronin and Kirk Dillard, and House Representatives Sandra Pihos and Patti Bellock sponsored this bill.
We chuckled when we read this. Community Unit District 201 school board has sure set a new (low) standard for us to evaluate Distrct 99, District 58 and others.
It is easy to blame the administrators’ high pay and free benefits for all the troubles our public school systems have. If we could ever hold our school boards accountable, we might start to get it right. They are the people who create these contracts and make annual pay increase and benefit decisions!
We wonder what types of pay increases (and benefit treatment) our district administrators will receive this year?