Schools

Middletown Schools Head Makes 21% More than Predecessor

Superintendent of Schools Patricia Charles makes more than most administrators leading similar-sized districts in Connecticut — and the board of education chair says that's right in line with state salaries.

 

The new superintendent of schools is making 21 percent more than her predecessor, and will be earning $219,113 by the end of her three-year contract, according to records obtained through a freedom of information from the board of education. 

Middletown Superintendent Patricia Charles’ three-year contract includes a salary of $205,000, along with a $6,500 mileage allowance. Her base salary is $187,000, plus an annuity contribution of $15,000 and a doctoral stipend of $3,000, according to her contract.

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She also earns 25 vacation days per year, 17 sick and six personal days.

Gene Nocera, chair of the Middletown Board of Education, says the position was overdue for a pay increase.

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“We moved the base salary up, which needed to be done anyway if Michael stayed. It’s in line with districts our size. In fact, there are some other districts that exceed ours.”

Charles joined Middletown Public Schools on Aug. 1, 2012, taking over for interim superintendent David Larson, who replaced seven-year superintendent of schools Michael Frechette. He left the district March 31, 2012.

Frechette’s contract afforded him a base salary of $157,480, a $3,000 annuity, doctoral stipend of $3,000 and a $6,500 mileage allowance.

According to a New Haven Register statewide superintendent of schools database, Charles oversees 5,113 students. Only 22 superintendents out of 187 make a salary greater than her.

That same database indicates the state’s highest-paid public schools head, Westport superintendent Elliott Landon, earns $285,077 in a district of 5,709 students.

Other Connecticut school districts similar in size to Middletown are: Cheshire, whose superintendent makes $153,772 with 5,006 students; Simsbury, whose school head oversees 4,932 students, earns $182,000; and New Milford, whose superintendent makes $196,124 in a district of 4,894 students.

During the next two years of Charles’ contract, her Ph.D. stipend and mileage allowance remain the same. For the 2013-2014 school year, her base salary increases to $191,675; and an annuity of $19,167.50. In 2014-2015, she will earn a base salary of $196,467 and a $19,646.70 annuity. 

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