Policies
Middletown Public Schools No. 4000
Administrative Compensation
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPENSATION
INTRODUCTION
The State of Rhode Island has placed responsibility for the setting compensation of administrators with the Superintendent of Schools (“Superintendent”) and the Middletown School Committee (“Committee”). The Rhode Island Department of Education (“RIDE”) has enacted the Basic Education Program Regulation (“BEP”) which provides mandatory criteria for evaluation and retention of administrators.
The BEP requires the Middletown School District to select and retain highly qualified administrators. RIDE has determined that the management of the Human Capital System is “essential to the mission of implementing a statewide system of public education.”1
Effective January 1, 2020, Superintendent of Schools is responsible for hiring administrators for the District.2
The District is committed to attracting and retaining employees who will strive to deliver exceptional performance allowing us to achieve our mission. The Middletown School District seeks to provide transparent, clear, fair, and competitive compensation guidelines for the Superintendent of Schools when he or she seeks to hire or retain administrators.
OBJECTIVE
Continuous improvement of student learning shall be the primary reference point for all decision-making regarding administrator assignment, evaluation and compensation. In order to effectively meet these functions, the District must attract and retain its highly valued Administrators”3. An important component to retain quality and effective administrators is the establishment of a fair and competitive administrator’s compensation policy. The District is dedicated to compensating administrators based on fair criteria including performance and contribution to the District in support of the District’s mission.
1 BEP G-15-1.2(c).
2 R.I. Gen Laws 16-2-11.
3 BEP G-15-2.2(a); See also: Commissioner of Education Letter to Superintendents dated October 20, 2009 re: Basic Education Program Regulations and Seniority Based Teacher Assignments; Advisory Letter from the Commissioner of Education regarding formal legal advisory opinion request of the Lincoln School Committee dated November 7, 2011; Commissioner of Education Letter to Superintendents dated January 31, 2013.
It is the objective of this policy to establish the parameters under which the Superintendent shall set appropriate compensation and benefit packages for administrators presently in the District as well as future hires.
POLICY
The Superintendent is authorized to set and amend administrators’ compensation on an annual basis as provided herein. In order to facilitate the terms of this policy, the Superintendent shall develop and implement a protocol and criteria for decision making in compliance therewith. Such criteria shall include the following elements:
1. A base salary schedule shall be established for each administrator position in the District.
The base schedule shall be reviewed each year to determine whether the base salaries are competitive relative to:
a. Neighboring school districts.
b. Like school districts and like positions in the State of Rhode Island.
c. The District’s salary scale for top step teachers (including educational increments and longevity). There shall be a reasonable disparity between administrator’s base salary schedule and a top step teacher schedule in recognition of the enhanced leadership and other responsibilities and expectations for such positions.
2. A schedule of income increases shall be established for each administration position in the District.
Income increases shall be given based on the following criteria:
a. Performance/evaluations
b. Relevant experience.
c. Specific needs of the District.
d. Longevity in the District including experience as Administrator.
e. Attainment of educational degrees and advance training and certifications, which in the determination of the Superintendent are advantageous and needed in the District.
f. Cost of Living.
g. The difference between administrative and certified teaching salary scales. h. Present evaluation results.
The Superintendent may consider a bonus or increase to base salary of up to one-half percentage exclusively to reward exceptional performance, and/or to create equity in certain job classes.
No annual increase shall be given to an administrator in the year the administrator receives less than an “effective” evaluative rating or placed on or remains on a performance improvement plan in the present or past year.
Benefits
3. The Superintendent shall, from time to time, submit the benefit package to the School Committee for approval. Benefits may include, but are not limited to:
a. Health and dental insurance co-share
• Appropriate cost share
• Buyback for health and dental insurance
b. Personal days
c. Sick days
d. Vacation days for twelve-month administrators
e. Life Insurance
f. Transportation and expenses
g. Retirement bonus
h. Holidays
i. Administrators shall be entitled to job protected leave in accordance with the policies implementing the Rhode Island Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Rhode Island Parental and Family Medical Leave Act, and as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act and related state law. Parental Leave Bereavement Leave Administrators engaged in military service receive all the protections of the Uniformed Services and Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), 38 U.S.C. §§ 4301-4334.
j. Retirement
• ERSRI
• Severance
• Health Insurance
k. Supplemental Benefits
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Professional Development
• Conferences
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Memberships
• Additional Insurance
• Health Insurance Account (when available)
• Travel and Mileage
1st Reading – December 19, 2019
2nd Reading & Approval – January 23, 2020
Revised and Approved – June 29, 2021
Revision and Review - March 19, 2026
3 Year Review Due - March 2029