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Pay would more than double for Montgomery County, Md., school board members under proposal Pay would more than double for Montgomery County, Md., school board members under proposal
(about 1 hour later)
A commission formed to explore a pay increase for school board members in Montgomery County — Maryland's largest school system — is recommending their pay more than double.A commission formed to explore a pay increase for school board members in Montgomery County — Maryland's largest school system — is recommending their pay more than double.
The Board of Education Compensation Commission urged this month that the pay for elected school board members be raised to $60,000 annually and that the president of the board get a boost to $70,000.The Board of Education Compensation Commission urged this month that the pay for elected school board members be raised to $60,000 annually and that the president of the board get a boost to $70,000.
Currently, board members receive $25,000, and the president earns $29,000.Currently, board members receive $25,000, and the president earns $29,000.
The commission also recommended that the board’s student representative receive a scholarship that is either 80 percent of the board members’ salary or a $40,000 scholarship, whichever is greater. The student would also receive a 20 percent stipend. Currently, the student representative receives a $5,000 scholarship.The commission also recommended that the board’s student representative receive a scholarship that is either 80 percent of the board members’ salary or a $40,000 scholarship, whichever is greater. The student would also receive a 20 percent stipend. Currently, the student representative receives a $5,000 scholarship.
“The commission believes that the current salary level is not reflective of the time and effort needed for a board member to fulfill their duties and responsibilities, nor of the type of work that the board is called on to perform,” Jaye Espy, chairwoman of the commission, said in testimony Dec. 9 before the Montgomery County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly. The pay increase requires the General Assembly’s approval.“The commission believes that the current salary level is not reflective of the time and effort needed for a board member to fulfill their duties and responsibilities, nor of the type of work that the board is called on to perform,” Jaye Espy, chairwoman of the commission, said in testimony Dec. 9 before the Montgomery County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly. The pay increase requires the General Assembly’s approval.
In her testimony, Espy described the extensive duties of school board members, including managing and determining action on complex issues, holding regular public meetings, engaging in bargaining agreements with unions, hiring the superintendent, and communicating regularly with school system staff, students and families.In her testimony, Espy described the extensive duties of school board members, including managing and determining action on complex issues, holding regular public meetings, engaging in bargaining agreements with unions, hiring the superintendent, and communicating regularly with school system staff, students and families.
Adult members of the school board serve four-year terms, while the student representative serves one year. The school district enrolls more than 165,000 students and has an annual budget of $2.68 billion for fiscal 2020.Adult members of the school board serve four-year terms, while the student representative serves one year. The school district enrolls more than 165,000 students and has an annual budget of $2.68 billion for fiscal 2020.
The proposal would make Montgomery County’s school board members the highest paid in the region. In neighboring Prince George’s County, board members receive $18,000 a year, while the board chairman earns $19,000. Annual compensation for school board members in Fairfax County is $32,000. In Prince William County, school board members receive $26,000. School board members in other nearby counties and in the District earn between $15,000 and $25,000 annually. The proposal would make Montgomery County’s school board members the highest paid in the region. In neighboring Prince George’s County, board members receive $18,000 a year, while the board chairman earns $19,000. Annual compensation for board members in Fairfax County is $32,000. In Prince William County, board members receive $26,000. School board members in other nearby counties and in the District earn between $15,000 and $25,000 annually.
One of the reasons the commission was formed was to determine pay that “would attract a wider array of candidates to run for the board,” Dale Tibbitts, special assistant to Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D), said in an interview. The current compensation, he said, allowed only for candidates who did not rely on the pay to provide for their families.One of the reasons the commission was formed was to determine pay that “would attract a wider array of candidates to run for the board,” Dale Tibbitts, special assistant to Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D), said in an interview. The current compensation, he said, allowed only for candidates who did not rely on the pay to provide for their families.
When board member Pat O’Neill began her first term in 1998, annual compensation was $12,500.When board member Pat O’Neill began her first term in 1998, annual compensation was $12,500.
“When I was first elected, I thought, okay, two meetings a month, I can handle that,” O’Neill said in an interview. “One would think with the advent of the smartphone that work would be less, but it actually has grown. We’re a very large, complex school system and things happy very quickly.” “When I was first elected, I thought, okay, two meetings a month, I can handle that,” O’Neill said in an interview. “One would think with the advent of the smartphone that work would be less, but it actually has grown. We’re a very large, complex school system and things happen very quickly.”
The position is a huge responsibility, O’Neill said.The position is a huge responsibility, O’Neill said.
“We’re like the board of directors of a Fortune 500 company with a $2.6 billion operating budget and a very large capital budget as well,” she said. “We’re like the board of directors of a Fortune 500 company with a $2.6 billion operating budget and a very large capital budget as well,” she said.
The recommended pay increase — the first in about six years — follows months of meetings and research by the commission as it looked at practices of other education boards and explored the appropriate level of compensation for one of the largest school systems in the country. The recommended pay increase — the first in about six years — follows months of meetings and research by the commission as it looked at practices of other school boards and explored the appropriate level of compensation for one of the largest school systems in the country.
The new rate is intended to encourage a broader swath of county residents to run for the school board and to make it more reflective of the county’s increasingly diverse population.The new rate is intended to encourage a broader swath of county residents to run for the school board and to make it more reflective of the county’s increasingly diverse population.
“The commission is confident that our recommendation would enable Montgomery County to expand its candidate pool due to the substantial time commitment and schedule required of board members,” Espy said in her testimony.“The commission is confident that our recommendation would enable Montgomery County to expand its candidate pool due to the substantial time commitment and schedule required of board members,” Espy said in her testimony.
The suggested compensation increase faces opposition from some education activists in the county who say board members don’t do enough to deserve the increase.The suggested compensation increase faces opposition from some education activists in the county who say board members don’t do enough to deserve the increase.
“We have not supported increasing the stipend because we don’t see the effort on their part to participate in the administration of the school system,” said Janis Sartucci, of the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County, an advocacy organization focused on transparency and performance of Montgomery County’s public schools. “The board members do not do the hard work of running the school system. They are more figureheads.” “We have not supported increasing the stipend because we don’t see the effort on their part to participate in the administration of the school system,” said Janis Sartucci of the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County, an advocacy organization focused on transparency and performance of Montgomery County’s public schools. “The board members do not do the hard work of running the school system. They are more figureheads.”
Sartucci said board members are not involved in writing the nuts and bolts of the operating budget or the capital budget and said her group is opposed to money being diverted from schools.Sartucci said board members are not involved in writing the nuts and bolts of the operating budget or the capital budget and said her group is opposed to money being diverted from schools.
“Until our classrooms are getting all the education dollars they need, we do not see the urgency to increase the board member stipend,” she said.“Until our classrooms are getting all the education dollars they need, we do not see the urgency to increase the board member stipend,” she said.
Members of the board are allowed to hold other jobs. It is not clear whether the compensation proposal would prohibit them from additional employment. It also has not been determined when the raises would go into effect if approved by the General Assembly.Members of the board are allowed to hold other jobs. It is not clear whether the compensation proposal would prohibit them from additional employment. It also has not been determined when the raises would go into effect if approved by the General Assembly.
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