Rep. Matt Marshall blasts House Democrats for blocking cap on superintendent pay

State Rep. Matt Marshall, R-Eatonville, a member of the House Education and Appropriations committees, criticized Washington state House Democrats in a statement released April 21 after they rejected an amendment to cap school superintendent salaries at $250,000.

“Washington’s public schools are in crisis,” Marshall said in the statement. “Enrollment is down. Student test scores in math, reading and science are falling across the board. And while students struggle, school superintendents are cashing in.”

“Superintendent pay in Washington has spiraled out of control, and it’s clearly not tied to performance,” Marshall continued. “Students are falling behind, yet administrators are walking away with massive salaries and bloated severance deals.”

Marshall added that House Republicans offered a series of amendments to “rein in” these salaries and payouts during debate on House Bill 2050, but all were rejected by the House Democratic majority.

“We proposed capping superintendent salaries at $250,000. Democrats said no. We proposed limiting severance packages to $50,000. Democrats said no,” Marshall said.

“More than 80 superintendents in Washington state are earning over $250,000 a year,” Marshall said in the statement. “Several make more than $400,000. That’s more than the president of the United States, the governor, the state schools superintendent, (an) elected official in Washington state, and every general in the U.S. military.”

“These massive salaries seriously strain school district budgets that are already struggling,” Marshall continued. “At a certain point, we have to ask: What are our students getting in return?”

“Even $250,000 is generous,” Marshall said. “But House Democrats still refused to back our amendment to cap these bloated salaries and prioritize student success. That’s unacceptable.”