PWCS School Board Extends Superintendent's Contract, Gives Raise

Posted

Prince William County Schools Superintendent Dr. Steven L. Walts will soon be making more than $287,000 annually in salary; however, with additional retirement and supplemental contributions, the cost of his tenure amounts to more than $300,000 per year.

The School Board also extended Walts's contract until June 30, 2018 to provide administrative stability in the School Division, they wrote in his amended contract.

Salary and Length of Contract

According to the new agreement, as of July 1, 2014, Walts will receive an annual salary of $287,153, which is an approximately 6.09 percent increase in his 2012 contracted salary.*

“This salary increase is the same percentage increase approved for all Division employees for 2014-15,” his contract amendment said.

Director of Community Relations for PWCS Phil Kavits said that the Division Superintendent received a 3 percent pay increase in 2013-14, and now will be receiving another 3 percent pay increase for 2014-15.

According to his previous contract, the Division Superintendent “shall receive no cost-of-living increases given to other school employees. However, the annual salary of the Division Superintendent may be adjusted or increased by Amendment for any subsequent fiscal year during the term of the agreement.”

This amendment amends the previous contract agreement that otherwise could have dictated the Division Superintendent’s salary until June 2016. It also extends Walt’s contract two years beyond that date.

Retirement Contributions

The original contract also states that for the length of employment agreement, the school division will pay 100 percent of the maximum contributions allowed into the superintendent’s retirement accounts.

“In addition to all purchases of retirement service and all contributions to the Virginia Retirement System made by the School Board to date on behalf of the Division Superintendent and in addition to the amounts contributed by the School Board to date on behalf of the Division Superintendent to any supplemental retirement accounts including, but not limited to, any 403(b), 415(c) or 457(b) accounts, the School Board agrees to make future annual employer discretionary accounts over the course of the term.”

Here is the IRS official word on contributions, and here is a simplified version.

Supplemental Benefits 

The Superintendent also receives supplemental benefits in accordance with the contract amendment. It is $28,245 to be applied to a number of designated expenses such as health care, college tuition savings or automobile maintenance.

“The School Board agrees effective July 1, 2014, to pay the Division Superintendent up to the amount of $28,245.000 annually for expenses not otherwise provided for in the Agreement, or in addition to those provided for in the agreement, and incurred by the Division Superintendent during the term of the Agreement for any of the following.”

According to the amendment, these supplemental compensations include funds for health care and health maintenance reimbursement; prescription drugs and health care expenses; insurance for such as life, disability or mortgage insurance, IRS tax-sheltered plans, such as 403(b); dependent care, including educational expenses, home security; home security; college saving plans; medical expenses; dental expenses; vision care expenses; and expenses associated with the operation of the Division Superintendent’s automobile.

Sick Leave 

General administrative benefits also include the Superintendent to earn and accrue two days of leave time each fiscal year. He may convert up to 21 days of accrued leave to a cash-payout out of 100 percent per diem of the current fiscal year.

Stability in PWCS

According to the 2012 contract, amendments may be granted after the Division Superintendent receives an annual performance evaluation.

In the motion, the School Board wrote that the purpose of the new agreement is “to further enhance administrative stability and continuity with the District.”

*Bristow Beat was previously not provided with the 2013-14 contract amendment, and thus did not know that the Division Superintendent had also received a pay raise in 2013-14.

featured, news, prince-william-county-schools, pwcs, steven-l-walts, va