The revelations exposed by the Courier & Press in a three-part series on how Indiana school superintendents are paid represent the very antithesis of transparency in government. It's somewhat surprising. At a time when partisan politicians are challenged daily to be open and honest in their conduct of the public's business, we learn that many of our public school boards are attempting to hide from taxpayers just how much they are paying their school superintendents.
But why? Apparently, as Courier & Press staff writer Thomas B. Langhorne wrote, these school boards are attempting to keep published salaries low in an effort to avoid public criticism that they are paying their superintendents too much. Of course, that scenario flies in the face of responsible, honest governance. These school boards should be able to defend their actions to the public, while recognizing that some of them are doing something now that may be legal, but is patently wrong.
The Courier & Press series, which concluded Tuesday, was based on an examination of 275 superintendent employment contracts. They were requested from each of Indiana's 289 school corporations with superintendents by this newspaper.
What the series disclosed is that in addition to the base salary paid to superintendents — that's the figure usually reported to the public — school boards are giving them such benefits as the full cost of health insurance in cash and providing extra money for retirement accounts. These benefits are paid as salary, but often are not included in the salary figures reported to the public. There's more. The higher figure is reported then to the state teachers' retirement fund, and that higher figure is used to calculate a higher pension check in retirement.
The school superintendents counter that they work hard for their money, and deserve the total package paid. There's truth in that. Unlike those who say that superintendent positions are for those who can't teach, we recognize that superintendent is a challenging job, one that should demand and translate into success in the classroom. But none of that is an excuse for attempting to cover-up from taxpayers just how much is being paid.
The Indiana Legislature has discussed one proposal to cap salaries and benefits of the state's public school superintendents. It is likely going nowhere, nor should it. That would take from individual districts the latitude needed to compete for top talent.
Instead, what the Legislature should demand from school districts is absolute openness in reporting to the public every cent — and in what form — the taxpayers are paying their superintendents.
John Ketzenberger, president of the Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute, said, "The truth is, at the bottom of all this is tax money that's collected by the state and redistributed. Whether it goes into pension funds or school formula, that's a function of distribution. It all comes from Hoosier taxpayers."
Yes it does. And that's why taxpayers are entitled to know, up front, how much their superintendents are costing them.