South Whidbey coaches appear to be paid better than some of their counterparts while department heads are paid less than some other schools.
A recent comparison with three school districts — Lakewood, Granite Falls, Mount Baker — with similar student populations indicate that in addition to coaches, advisors of clubs are paid better than other schools.
But steering committee stipends are smaller that other districts.
A report prepared by assistant superintendent Dan Blanton was presented to the Board of Education at a recent meeting.
The district has 105 stipend positions for total budget of about $300,000.
“In general our department heads and some of the advisors, mainly in the academic areas are under compensated, compared with the other districts,” Blanton said.
Stipends are paid to teachers as compensation for the extra duties associated with co-curricular activities such as coaching, band and choral direction, club advisors and committee participation.
In some cases, Blanton said the amount of the stipend paid is “tied to the percentage of the base contract.”
In others, we don’t really know how the stipend amount was determined, once an amount is there, it’s always there.” Blanton said the district will be continue studying the data.
Compared to Mount Baker and Lakewood–the other districts with departments heads–South Whidbey is at the bottom.
The eight department heads at the high school are paid $283 each, Lakewood teachers get almost twice as much at $594 and Mount Baker is nine times as much at $2,050.
At South Whidbey High School, 76 percent or $143,873 compensates coaches, assistant coaches and the athletic director for their extra duties.
South Whidbey’s head football coach receives $4,528. The average for the other three districts for the same position is $4,109.
At the Primary School the total stipend budget is about $5,800, 73 percent is for co-curricular activities and 25 percent for athletics. At the Intermediate school, of the $10,000, 79 percent or $8,630 is for co-curricular.
At Langley Middle School and high school athletic stipends are greater than for co-curricular activities. At the middle school 81 percent, about $50,000 is spent on athletics and 76 percent or $148,873 at the high school.
The high school drama and choir director each are paid $828. The high school band stipend is $4,100, the average from the other districts is $3,500.
South Whidbey has six site council positions each is paid $566.
The report indicated that steering committee positions at South Whidbey are paid less than the other districts at $414.40 for each of the 11 positions. The only other school in the comparison with steering committee stipends was Lakewood at $1,600.
The Board of Education requested a review of the district’s stipends. Blanton said the review is not yet complete.
