Salary cap triggers exodus of N.J. school superintendents

There’s a change at the top this year in many of New Jersey’s school districts, and money is the reason.

About 30 percent of the 590 school districts in the Garden State have new superintendents this year, according to New Jersey School Boards Association spokesman Frank Belluscio.He says the turnover results from the recently mandated cap on superintendents’ salaries.

“As contracts are concluding for superintendents, they are moving on either to larger school districts or to retirement rather than taking a cut in pay,” Belluscio said.

The salary cap is $175,000 for most districts, but it can be higher in the largest ones with more than 10,000 students.

Belluscio says districts have been able to find qualified applicants to fill the superintendent positions although many of them have less extensive experience.

Because superintendents contracts usually extend for three to five years, he expects there will be more turnover in the next few years.