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New Jersey proposes caps on school leaders' salaries

In an effort to push forward with its education-overhaul agenda, the Christie administration announced public hearings Monday on proposed salary limits for top school district administrators.

In an effort to push forward with its education-overhaul agenda, the Christie administration announced public hearings Monday on proposed salary limits for top school district administrators.

A local hearing will be held Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. in the auditorium on the Burlington County Institute of Technology's Westampton Campus. The hearing is one of four to be held around the state.

The salary caps would apply to superintendents, assistant superintendents, and business administrators after Feb. 7, as their contracts come up for renewal.

About 70 percent of school district heads earn above the proposed caps, according to the state. Most are in northern and central New Jersey.

"Capping pay to reasonable levels is a commonsense initiative that will end abuses that have been permitted for too long at the expense of our children's education," Christie said in a written statement.

The proposed pay limits vary by district size. School systems with up to 250 students would cap superintendents' salaries at $120,000. Districts with 6,501 to 10,000 students would be limited at $175,000. The state education commissioner may approve a higher salary for a superintendent whose district has more than 10,000 pupils.

Superintendents could earn $10,000 for each additional district they oversee. They also could receive a $2,500 stipend if their district includes a high school.

Locally, David Campbell, who is stepping down as Cherry Hill superintendent at the end of year, earns more than $277,000. Camden schools chief B. LeFra Young is paid $239,000, according to state figures.

Christie's proposal calls for performance bonuses. Local districts would develop criteria for how their superintendents could earn one-year bonuses that would not count toward their pension, according to the administration. The bonuses must be pegged to specific performance goals.

"After the one-year incentive expires, the salary reverts back to its pre-bonus level," said acting Education Commissioner Rochelle Hendricks.

Regulations for the proposed changes were published in the New Jersey Register on Monday. Locally, members of the public and some elected officials have objected to what they consider excessive administrative salaries.

When the proposed pay limits were unveiled in July, however, some district officials said they could hinder efforts to recruit the best leaders. Some districts in New York and Pennsylvania already pay more than the proposed caps, they said.

The proposed regulations not only will cause experienced leaders to leave, they will discourage other administrators from seeking top posts, Richard Bozza, director of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, said on Monday. The state's education administrative costs are less than those in 41 other states, he said.