Jefferson County Schools paying huge salaries to hundreds of staffers

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But, not getting value for the money

WLKY in Louisville is waking up. They’ve been tracking the huge number of Jefferson County Public School employees who make over $100,000 a year.

Not only is the number of high-paid staffers impressive, but it is growing like a fungus. WLKY says just six months ago when it took its first look at this situation, only 332 Jefferson County employees made $100,000 plus. Half a year later, there are 405 educators in Jefferson County pulling down a six-digit annual salary.

Writes WLKY:

“At the time, everyone from critics to teachers were stunned by the results.”

Even the local teachers’ union leader was shocked. Brent McKim, head of the Jefferson County Teachers Association, said:

“That's very disturbing to us. We absolutely believe there's room for cuts at the top."

On this issue, the union and the Bluegrass Institute definitely agree.

Back some time ago, I came across some information about highly-paid staffers in other large school systems around the country. I had trouble verifying some of the numbers, but as I recall Jefferson County was way out of line with what happens in similar sized school districts in other parts of the country. Maybe that data will surface now.

Coming on the heels of a very unsatisfactory management audit that showed things like some employees not having any apparent supervisor, it is clear that all the high priced labor (I can’t call it talent) in the Jefferson County system isn’t doing its management job very well. But, they sure are charging a pretty penny for not doing it.