Home

Steamboat Springs — Most administrators in the Steamboat Springs School District will earn salaries next year that are below the market average, according to a survey done by an independent research firm.

The Steamboat Springs School Board approved the 2006-07 salaries by a 3-2 vote Monday night. Superintendent Donna Howell said a study of administrator salaries in 10 Colorado school districts that are comparable to Steamboat Springs shows that 11 of 14 Steamboat administrators will earn salaries below the market average. The district's grant writer -- the 15th administrative position -- is vacant after Sue Gariepy resigned last week.

Howell said the study examined the same 10 school districts used to determine market averages for teacher and staff salaries. Steamboat's collaborative bargaining team selected the districts, which include Eagle County, Summit, Roaring Fork and Aspen.

On May 31, teachers and school staff approved their contracts for next year by a 186-4 vote. Those contracts give teachers and staff average salary increases that are identical -- by percentage of salary -- to the highest increase given to administrators Monday night. Teachers will receive an average salary increase of 4.7 percent next year, school staff will receive an average increase of 4.8 percent, and 11 of the 14 administrators will receive an increase of 4.8 percent.

Before voting against the proposed administrator salaries, School Board member John DeVincentis argued that although the salary increase percentages are similar for administrators and teachers, the actual value of the increases is vastly different because administrator salaries are much higher than teacher or staff salaries.

In other words, 4.8 percent of $100,000 is more money than 4.8 percent of $40,000.

"Fifteen people are getting $50,000, while 200 people are getting $100,000," DeVincentis said Monday.

Howell said Tuesday that DeVincentis' argument does not tell the whole story. Some teachers received increases of more than 5 percent, Howell said. She also said research shows that administrative positions are among the hardest to fill in Colorado school districts.

"I understand the argument, but I think it falls short in looking at the bigger picture. If we don't look to keep up with the market for administrators, we're going to fall behind," Howell said. "I don't think any of the administrators need to defend their salaries. The job is the job, and it commands a certain salary."

Board member Denise Con-nelly also voted against approving administrator salaries Mon-day night, saying the board did not have enough information about total compensation packages for administrators in other school districts. Those packages could include supplemental compensation such as 401(k) contributions or vehicle allowances, which would adjust the market means.

Board member Pat Gleason said that although such information would be valuable, it would not be fair to administrators to delay approval of their salaries until August, when the School Board will next be able to take action on agenda items.

"I'm not willing to hang the administrators out," Gleason said. "I am willing to say that we better have that information next year."