RSSTeam Vallas increases spending on Bridgeport’s 64 principals and assistant principals by 22.4%
Nov 13
Bridgeport, Education Reform, Mayor Bill Finch, Paul Vallas Bridgeport, Education Reform, Mayor Bill Finch, Paul Vallas 7 Comments
According to a new budget document that has been added to the Bridgeport School System’s website, Paul Vallas, and his “Education Reform” efficiency team, have increased spending on Bridgeport’s 64 school principals, assistant principals and management supervisors by $1,696,054 million over the amount spent on these senior school administrators last year.
During the 2011-2012 school year, the Bridgeport education budget allocated $7,572,512 to pay the top 64 Bridgeport school administrators.
But this year, according to a new Financial Condition Report released by Superintendent Paul Vallas, the taxpayers of Bridgeport and Connecticut will be shelling out $9,268,566 to cover the salaries of the 64 principals, assistant principals and management supervisors.
This $1.8 million increase means that the total being spent on these positions has increased by more than 22 percent, in just the past year, despite the fact that Bridgeport’s fiscal situation is so limited that the school system is reducing the number of school teachers.
The new budget report fails to explain whether all senior administrators received massive salary increase this year or if the additional money was distributed to a few new or well-placed administrators.
In addition, the $9.2 million spent on these 64 administrators does not count the $2.8 million that goes toward paying Vallas and the other costs associated with the Superintendent’s Office.
Readers may recall that last summer, Wait, What? broke the news that Team Vallas was implementing extraordinary cuts to Bridgeport’s Special Education budget, the deepest cuts, by far, in the City’s history. The Vallas budget cut at least 17 special education teachers from the school budget, while removing more than $2.5 million in additional funds, money that was being used to place students with disabilities in the most appropriate educational settings.
One other note, according to this last Financial Condition Report, Vallas budget has also increased spending on outside lawyers and legal services from $430,000 to $700,000. Perhaps the 63% increase reflects that fact that Team Vallas is expecting to be sued a lot this year.
Superintendent Vallas, along with “education reformers” from around the country, were part of Mayor Finch’s recent failed attempt to do away with a democratically elected board of education in Bridgeport.
Bridgeport’s latest Financial Condition Report can be found here: http://www.bridgeportedu.com/docs/HomePage/2012-2013/2012-13FinancialConditionReport_10-31-12(2).pdf
