A list that shows the top 100 salaries being paid to New York State public school employees was released on the Empire Center for NYS Policy’s website Thursday.

The highest paid school worker is superintendent of the Syosset School District on Long Island. However the list shows a number of Capital Region school districts that pays administrators big bucks.

All the top earners locally are either retired or were forced out.

In the South Colonie School District they are: John “Jack” Adams the former Director of Information Technology makes more than $330,000, Dave Foust the retired Athletic Director makes more than $275,000 and Beverly Miller the former Assistant Superintendent makes just over $263,000.

Other top salary earners are the former Niskayuna Superintendent of Schools with $255,000 and Alicia Henry a principal with Fonda-Fultonville schools who was essentially paid to leave the district, and walked away with more than $263,000.

South Colonie Schools Superintendent Jon Buhner says the Empire Center needs to be careful with their numbers. That the spike in their salaries due to the retiring educators cashing out decades of unused paid time off. He says, “They combined it to make it look like they are all salary and that’s not the case when you are cashing out, and that’s what it costs the district.”

However, the study also looked at the average salary for Capital Region teachers and it was much lower. At just over $41,000 a year.

Salaries paid for by taxes and other government funds are public information under New York state law.

The center’s report is on its website: www.SeeThroughNY.net.

Read article here