While the Buckeye Elementary School District pays it teachers well below the state average the Arizona Auditor General has found that the District paid $1.7 million in extra compensation to the superintendent between 2016 and 2021.
In fact, Superintendent Kristi Wilson has been compensated at a rate that’s over 100 percent higher than the state average.
It appears that Wilson was overpaid by $570,000 at the same time the District is hemorrhaging staff, with a total of 48 teachers not expected to return next school year.
Audit Findings:
From July 2016 through December 2021, the District paid to or on behalf of Wilson over $1.7 million of “additional compensation.” This “additional compensation” brought the superintendent’s total compensation for that time to about $3.3 million, which was about 100 percent more than what the State’s 3 largest districts spent, on average, on superintendent compensation, resulting in a possible gift of public monies.
Also, inconsistent with the core purpose of public records laws, the District omitted “additional compensation” amounts and other critical information in 2 of the superintendent’s employment agreements. Moreover, because the District miscalculated “required withholdings” related to the “additional compensation,” an estimated $571,256 of the over $1.7 million was paid beyond employment agreement terms.
The District entered into 3 employment agreements with the superintendent in which it agreed to pay to and on behalf of the superintendent “additional compensation” related to retirement service credits and unused leave totaling $1,712,976 from July 2016 through December 2021.
• $1,509,311 of superintendent’s “additional compensation” was related to purchase of retirement service credits
The District paid to or on behalf of the superintendent a total of $1,509,311 “additional compensation” in excess of the superintendent’s base salary and benefits for the superintendent’s Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) purchase of 11 years of retirement service credit at 5 different school districts in another state. These ASRS-related amounts ranged from $95,726 to $464,112 annually and included monies the District paid to the superintendent and to other entities on the superintendent’s behalf. Specifically, the auditors estimated the District paid $885,634 directly to the ASRS for the superintendent’s retirement credits, $358,109 to the superintendent, and $265,568 to taxing agencies and the ASRS on the superintendent’s behalf. Some of these amounts were incorrectly paid.
• $203,665 of superintendent’s “additional compensation” was related to payments for unused leave
In 2 of the superintendent’s employment agreements, ASRS-related “additional compensation” amounts were included in the superintendent’s “per diem rate of pay” to be applied to calculations for unused leave.
District Overview:
● The superintendent has held this position since 2013 and, as of this report date, remains in that capacity. Additionally, 4 of the 5 governing board members serving as of this report date held their position since at least April 2016 when the governing board approved the first of 3 employment agreements calling for the superintendent to be paid “additional compensation.” During their tenure and as of fiscal year 2019:
● Like the prior 3 fiscal years, District students performed below their peer group and students State-wide on State assessments. Of the approximately 5,200 District students: 24 percent passed math, 28 percent passed English language arts, and 42 percent passed science assessments.
● Of the District’s 7 schools, 4 had a D or F letter grade, resulting in the District working with the Arizona Department of Education to create an integrated action plan to improve student achievement.
●The District had a poverty rate of 16 percent, and about 66 percent of the students qualified for free/reduced price meals.
●The District’s average teacher salary of $44,536 was about 15 percent below the State average.
CONTACT THE GOVERNING BOARD: Michael Melton, Jane Hunt, Richard Hopkins, Amy Lovitt,Gina Ragsdale