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Houston Independent School District employee salaries, 2008-2011
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Houston Independent School District employee salaries are public records under the Texas Public Information Act.[1]
Salaries
In 2011, 18 employees earned more than $150,000, with an average salary of $176,507.[2]
- The highest paid employee was Superintendent Terry Grier, with an annual salary of $300,000.
- Richard Patton, the district's e-Rate Compliance Office, was the lowest of the group with $150,000.
- The total cost of the 18 employees was $3,177,136.08.
The following table outlines employees and salaries from 2011:
| Department | Employee | Job title | January '11 |
| Superintendent | Grier,Terry Brooks | Supt of Schools | $300,000.00 |
| Finance and Business Service | Garrett,Melinda J | Chief Financial Officer | $207,680.76 |
| Chief of Staff Business Serv | Bobadilla Jr,Leobardo | Chief Operating Officer | $197,500.00 |
| Communications & Publications | Alvez,Aggie Agnes | Chief Communications Officer | $185,000.00 |
| Legal Services | Hutchins-Taylor,Elneita | General Counsel | $175,911.70 |
| Office of the Inspector General | Moore,Robert E | Inspector General | $171,620.49 |
| Student Incentives | Vela,William Leroy | Gen Mgr, Student Incentive Prg | $167,475.00 |
| Elementary Schools Office | Sarabia,Samuel D | Chief School Officer | $167,112.00 |
| Chief Of Major Projects | Baker,Julie Fox | Chief Major Projects Officer | $165,000.00 |
| Chief of Staff | Pola,Michele M | Chief of Staff, 12 M | $165,000.00 |
| High Schools Office | Spence,Aaron Christopher | Chief School Officer | $165,000.00 |
| Human Resources | Best,Jobina Ann | Chief Human Resources Officer | $165,000.00 |
| Middle Schools Office | Dance,Shaun Dallas | Chief School Officer | $165,000.00 |
| Technology and Information | Valdez,Gregory J | Technology Information Officer | $162,400.00 |
| Finance | Huewitt,Kenneth R | Controller | $157,077.73 |
| Materials Management | Pottinger,Stephen M | Gen Mgr, Procure&Wrhouse Srs | 155,358.40 |
| Facility Services Admin | Dadoush,Issa Z | Gen Mgr, Facility Services | $155,000.00 |
| e-Rate Compliance Office | Patton,Richard Allen | eRate Compliance Officer | $150,000.00 |
2010
In 2010, there were 19 employees earning over $150,000 for a total of $3,402,979.
- The average salary was $179,104.
- The highest paid employee was Superintendent Terry Grier, with an annual salary of $300,000.
2009
In 2009, there were 17 employees earning over $150,000 for a total of $3,402,979.
- The average salary was $179,403.
- The highest paid employee was Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra, with an annual salary of $327,010.
2008
In 2010, there were 14 employees earning over $150,000 for a total of $2,501,970..
- The average salary was $178,712.
- The highest paid employee was Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra, with an annual salary of $314,553.
Salary records project
In 2011, Sunshine Review chose 152 local governments as the focus of research on public employee salaries. The editors of Sunshine Review selected eight states with relevant political contexts (listed alphabetically):
1. California
2. Florida
3. Illinois
4. Michigan
5. New Jersey
6. Pennsylvania
7. Texas
8. Wisconsin
Within these states, the editors of Sunshine Review focused on the most populous cities, counties and school districts, as well as the emergency services entities within these governments. The purpose of this selection method was to develop articles on governments affecting the most citizens.
The salary information garnered from these states were a combination of existing online resources and state Freedom of Information Act requests sent out to the governments.
A study published by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia said the city of Philadelphia faced challenges owing to the cost of public employee pensions.[3] The report claimed the amount that Philadelphia paid to pension recipients limited the city’s ability to use its budget effectively.
The report said there were more individuals receiving pension benefits—33,907 claimants in 2006—than workers in the city—28,701.[3] The authors recommended three steps towards addressing the problem of high costs in pensions: improved data collection, expanded transparency initiatives, and reductions to the city's overall budget.[3]
Salary schedules can be published as ranges, not as specific compensation figures, and may leave out compensation received through health and retirement benefits, as well as benefits such as commuter allowances and cell phone reimbursements. This project aimed to close the gap and provide a more accurate picture of public employee salaries for the sake of public education and transparency.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Are city employees' salaries public information or are they protected for personal privacy?—Texas Center for Community Journalism
- ↑ HISD Salary Data
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 '’Philadelphia’s Quiet Crisis: The Rising Cost of Employee Benefits, Pew Charitable Trusts and the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, January 23, 2008
