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The Saturday Morning Post
Some D.C. Council members are dismayed at proposed $200,000 salaries that newly confirmed Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has offered to her deputy chancellor, Kaya Henderson, as well as her chief of staff. The pay range for District jobs at that level is normally $57,000 to about $153,000 at the most.
Mayor Fenty's office is defending the salaries, claiming the administration now has the authority to hire staff at whatever level it chooses. Meanwhile, Carol Schwartz (R-At large) has said she plans to schedule hearings on the matter in September.
It's a tough position for the Council either way. On the one hand, they'd like to be seen as the gatekeepers of overspending in the newly configured school system, and having been so publicly left out of the hiring process for chancellor, this is one area where making some noise might at least give them the appearance of being part of the process. On the other, Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee clearly have ambitions to hire extremely qualified people to help turn around the city's schools -- a goal the Council surely doesn't want to argue, and one that may in fact justify raising salary ranges for several positions.
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if she/he is a real bad a$$ and can turn this thing around, i'm cool with it. i'm all for a school system that can help turn rock throwing freedom fighters into responsible citizens. but if they hire a $50k person at a $200k salary (which is so dc), then we've got problems.
who the hell voted other?
when looking for qualified, ambitious, hard-working new people, one often gets what one pays for. so far, the appointments of fenty have seemed to be well-qualified, thoughtful, and sincere--and ambitious. i say let's give them some time before we make judgments. at this point, given our city's history, what does the public have to lose?
I would like to see the hiring salary lower with the option for a bonus that would make the salary $200K. There should be clear metrics to meet the bonus i.e. improved student performance.
You do get what you pay for in the business world. That is why I see Ghandi’s high salary as a bargain.
-Show me the results
Just because it's expensive doesn't mean it's any damn good. Ask anyone who's ever owned a Delorean.
a bonus system doesn't really make any sense because you are not going to see the effects of a person hired today for another decade.
I'm continually annoyed by the exorbitant salaries paid to people at the very top of the public and non-profit sectors. I don't know about you, but I want someone who's driven by a deep commitment to the organization, not someone driven by money.
These people should be paid a reasonable salary in line with the public sector, not one the equals the private sector.
This is particularly true because those at lower and middle levels are expected to sacrifice financial gain for the goals of the organization; why shouldn't the leaders be asked to do the same?
By the way, anyone know what Michelle Rhee was making in her last job?
There are many many teachers that make over 100K.
There are many many teachers that make over 100K.
Names and addresses, please? I have some pizza kits and bulk candybars I need to unload.
I agree with starting lower with bonus options. The results for underlings don't have to be so nebulous as improving student performance. If they can accomplish, say, important objective #3: install and implement new payroll database software, then give them a bump. Otherwise you're just taking money from the classroom and adding to the bureaucracy.
These are not exorbinant salaries for the job that they are going to have to do. Think for a second about all they are going to have to deal with crazed parents, lazy teachers, crappy buildings, the council, a mayor who is a workaholic and the list goes on - nevermind that the chancellor is probably never going to see her own children. Would you deal with all of this people for less than 100K, I don't think so...
I get tired of people suggesting that it is ok for people who work in nonprofit/public sector fields to make no money - most of these people have worked in the trenches long before they made this kind of money - they deserve every penny if they get the job done.
No one is saying no money. But should Rhee make more than the mayor? Should someone with no experience make essentially the highest salary in all of DC government?
How do other DC school salaries stack up? I'm guessing that they're pretty low.
Some teachers may be making over $100K but some DC special education teachers are still waiting for pitifully small bonuses
http://www.wamu.org/news/07/07/09.php
Why are we willing to let our government throw money at a new "let's hope they get the job done" administration rather than let them earn it or rather than get some folks what they are due?
I really like the idea of making her salary capped and then have performance-based bonuses. The only problem may arise in two years when nothing is working ('cause it hasn't even had time to) and she's canned just like Janey and all the others before him.
Rhee's salary as Chancellor has already been set at approximately $279,000 and approved. In her previous position as the head of the teacher training and placement service she started, she was making approximately $153,000 in salary. Kaya Henderson, Rhee's deputy at that organization who has been nominated to be her deputy chancellor at the $200,000 salary, was making approximately $127,000.
I call bullshit on the idea that "many, many teachers" make over $100,000 per year. Even in a screwed-up system like DC's.
Finally, I know DCist doesn't want every single post to rely on a Washington Post article as its primary source. That said, it really seems silly to link this story to the tiny little blurb on the Channel 7 news site instead of the longer, more detailed Post article, which Channel 7 was apparently using as its source anyway. Linking to a story that provides no information above and beyond what you've transcribed into your post is more like a footnote citation than a traditional hyperlink.