Skagit County families are struggling to make ends meet with the per capita median income at $33k[1] and 51% of children in public schools qualify for free or reduced meals.[2] Despite the struggling local economy, Skagit County public schools are imposing an egregious salary burden on local taxpayers, with 24% of public school employees in the county earning over $100k base salaries. This disparity and financial burden is wrong on so many levels, yet schools gouge families with even more tax burden through local levies every year because more money is supposedly needed for the “kids”.
Some of the key findings from a review of Public School base salaries in WA for school year 2020-2021 (Fig 1) **Note – these figures ONLY include base salaries, not benefits or bonuses, or raises, and in many cases, salaries are for 9 month contracts:[3]
- 2765 people were employed in seven school districts in the county during 2020-2021.
- 2026 (73%) of Skagit County public school employees earn more than the county’s median per capita income
- 1338 employees (48%) earn more than the median household income (>2 income earners/family) of Skagit County
- 1 Librarian earns $98,985
- 690 employees (24%) of Skagit County public schools employees earn more than $100k base salaries.
- 66 employees (2.3%) earn over $150k
- 18 employees earn over $175k
- 8 employees earn over $190k
- 6 employees earn over $200k
- 3 employees earn over $220k
Skagit County public schools’ yearly budgets total $330.1m,[5] and 83% of that is spent on salaries and benefits (Fig 2). School districts are draining Skagit County residents’ meager bank accounts to bankroll their bloated salaries, yet this fact seems to be unrecognized as every school district in the county received unanimous approval of all levies on the ballot in February.[6]
Many approving voters may have the hope that their tax dollars are supporting the kids, but our analysis clarifies where our tax dollars are really being spent. Our public schools are failing our kids to learn basic standards,[7] school employees are bringing home fat paychecks and enjoying leisurely three-month vacations in the summer, and our families paying for this failing system are struggling to put food on the table and pay the bills.