Capital Article
Pacella, Rachael, Board votes to reappoint Superintendent George Arlotto, Feb. 21, 2018.
Snider Comment
“Arlotto’s current salary is $259,996 a year.”
This and other compensation data included in the article wildly underestimate the superintendent’s total compensation package. I discussed some of the missing components in my Education Week article, “America’s Million-Dollar Superintendents.”
The Board of Education has never posted the superintendent’s contract online, although the contract is public information. Asking for the contract under the Public Information Act is viewed by senior school staff as a hostile action. And in the past, members of the public have suffered harassment when they have requested the superintendent’s contract. To be sure, the contract itself only includes a small fraction of the superintendent’s total compensation package. The most notable omission is deferred compensation, much of which is considered private information under Maryland law.
Remarkably, even after the public embarrassment of unreported sick leave compensation when the previous superintendent, Robert Maxwell, left AACPS for a neighboring county, the public reporting of this very valuable benefit has not improved.
The public should understand that a superintendent’s contract under Maryland law is for a guaranteed four years. (The contract, excluding benefits and deferred compensation, is thus worth well over $1 million.) This is an extraordinary policy in comparison to other states (let alone other occupations). As a vivid comparison, the Washington, DC superintendent was recently let go after only one year in office. On the other hand, it may be argued that a superintendent has less job protection than any other senior school employee in Maryland. Still, the public should understand the state mandated term of these contracts, especially because, with the coming shift to elected board members, there is likely to be an unprecedented turnover on the school board in the next 12 months.
BOARD OF EDUCATION UNANIMOUSLY REAPPOINTS SUPERINTENDENT GEORGE ARLOTTO TO SECOND FOUR-YEAR TERM
The Board of Education tonight unanimously reappointed Superintendent George Arlotto to a second four-year term, contingent on the parties reaching agreement on a new contract and approval by the State Superintendent as required by law.
“I have been honored and humbled to serve for the last four years as Superintendent and for the last 12 years in this school system,” Dr. Arlotto said. “When I became Superintendent four years ago, I said the people we have really make the difference working on behalf of our children. I can say emphatically four years later that the people we have are amazing. I am looking forward to the next four years and beyond working with this #AACPSAwesome team.”
This school year marks Dr. Arlotto’s 31st in education. He has worked in Anne Arundel County Public Schools since 2006. Prior to becoming Superintendent on July 1, 2014, Dr. Arlotto served in a variety of capacities, including Director of High Schools; Chief School Performance Officer; Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction & School Performance; Associate Superintendent; and Chief of Staff.
“I think we have the best Superintendent in the state, and I’m glad he’s coming back,” Board President Julie Hummer said.
Dr. Arlotto’s current contract expires on June 30, 2018.
