Ten local superintendents are compensated more than $1,000 per student


A CapitolBeatOK examination of compensation for the top administrators in Oklahoma’s local public schools has found that a large number of administrators make high salaries. Many others have lower total compensation, but make impressive salaries on a per student basis. 

In a prior story, CapitolBeatOK reported on 22 superintendents whose total compensation is higher than $147,000 a year – the pay received by Governor Mary Falllin. 

Further examination of records for several hundred school districts found ten local superintendents who have total compensation that amounts to more than $1,000 per student. In descending order of total compensation (from highest to lowest) in this group of ten, highlights follow.

Tim Carson runs the Cleora district. He gets $134,449 in total compensation. There are 115 students under his supervision, with 11 certified staff. The student/staff ratio in the system is 10.5-1. Carson’s pay costs taxpayers $1,169.12 per student. 

Wilton Gleave, superintendent of the Freedom school system, garners $86,005 in compensation. The Oct. 1 enrollment was 70 students. With 15 certified staff, the student/staff ratio is 4.7-1. Gleave is paid $1,228.64 per student.

Gregory Fouse runs the Terral district and his total compensation is $83,849. The 11.3-1 ratio represents the system’s total enrollment of 79 students and seven certified staff. Fouse receives $1,061.38 for each student.

Running the Felt district is Lewetta Hefley, who costs taxpayers $1,035.05 for each of the 77 students she administers. Her total compensation is $79,699. The district has 12 certified staff and a student/staff ratio of 6.4-1. 

Dennis Hensley is in charge of the Fanshawe system, and is compensated $72,064 for that work. The student/staff ratio is 8.3-1, with 58 students and seven certified staff. He brings in $1,242.48 per student. 

Superintendent for the Nashoba district is Marcia Wright, whose annual compensation total is $67,494. Enrollment in October totaled 50 students, with six certified staff. The ratio is 8.3-1. Her pay is $1,349.88 for each student in the system.

At a cost to taxpayers of $1,058.03 per student, Paul Allee runs the Milfay school district. He is paid $66,656, and had 63 students on October 1, 2010 with five certified staff. The district’s student/staff ratio is 12.6-1.

In the Kildare district, Superintendent Anthony Ledwig is paid $65,700 (total compensation). The enrollment is 55, with six certified staff. The staff/student ratio is 9.2-1. Ledwig’s compensation amounts to $1,194.55 per student.

In the Plainview district, Superintendent Ronald Murphey brings in $3,459.65 per student, by far the highest ratio found in the available data. With 17 students and six certified staff, the system has a student/staff ratio of 2.8-1. Murphey’s total compensation is $58,814 a year. 

Straight district’s Laura Hill supervises 48 students and has seven certified staff. The staff/student ratio is 6.9-1. She garnered $1,190.67 per student with total compensation of $57,152. 

The Sooner State has 22 local public school district superintendents who are paid more than Oklahoma’s governor, who earns $147,000 a year. In addition to these 22, another 180 superintendents earn more than $100,000 a year.

CapitolBeatOK has studied data, accurate as of April 14, for the salaries of local school superintendents in Oklahoma, 2010-11. Public records provided by state Rep. David Dank were examined. The information detailed total compensation and other financial information for the state’s 531 local superintendents.