Hawaii Board of Education Approves Pay Boosts For Complex Area Leaders…The issue drew heated discussion from some board members over the “optics” of leadership pay raises in the current economic climate.
The Hawaii Board of Education voted 5-3 to approve pay increases for the state’s 15 complex area superintendents on Thursday but deferred on similar proposed increases for the deputy superintendent and seven assistant superintendents due to pandemic-related economic concerns.
Though the original proposal was to approve raises for all of these positions, board member Dwight Takeno moved late in the day to give them only to the complex area superintendents due to the uncertain financial outlook for the state Department of Education and questionable optics over executive pay boosts amid the coronavirus crisis.
Complex area superintendents, who are in charge of the district spanning a high school and its feeder schools, make between $145,000 and $175,00 a year. The deputy superintendent makes between $155,000 and $185,000 a year while the assistant superintendents make between $150,000 to $180,000 a year.
