Division I regional track finals
Fenwick graduation 2012
Ponitz graduation 2012
Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2008 > April > 01
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Superintendents are the new rock stars
You know what happens when a job gets more and more demanding to the point where a lot of potential candidates say “forget it” but there are still several big employers who need to fill the position?
It’s basic supply and demand — the good people willing to do the work are going cost more.
According to this story that’s what has happened to school superintendents. And the most sought after candidates have become “rock stars” of sorts in the profession, making big money and demanding increasingly exorbident working conditions.
Dayton’s superintendent Percy Mack does not qualify as a rock star. At least not yet.
Here in Dayton Mack is well compensated compared to you and I, but his salary fits in where you would expect when compared to the other large urban superintendents in the state. And he has some perks but nothing like the luxuries cited in the story from others around the country.
Since his flirtation with Mobile, Ala., last fall, Mack has insisted he is not job hunting. But you have to think he remains a potentially attractive candidate for a large district.
His resume boasts a lot of improvements in Dayton in his time here in terms of measures like test scores and graduation rate. And a lot of people would credit him for at least some internal reforms that made things better. And he has big district experience from DeKalb, Ga.
But in Mobile Mack was hurt by last May’s levy defeat. And he is now managing a district in continuing financial crisis. Another levy defeat in November could be damaging to the district’s long term health.
Make has consistently said he is not seeking the rock star treatment. He might like to be closer to his Georgia roots, which is why he said he consider Mobile, but he says he is not shopping for a better gig. Still, I figure he has got to get occassional calls from some of the big guns.
What do you think of the phenomenon of rock star superintendents?
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment | Categories: Schools and Politics
