The battles between Diane Douglas and the Ducey-supported state Board of Education have been all over the papers and The Range recently. What’s going on is a power struggle. The outcome will help determine the kind of policy that comes out of the state education administration, but right now, the two sides are jostling for position, not policy.
In most reports, we hear more about Douglas’ agenda than about the Board’s. This video is a bit of a corrective. Remember back when, when Douglas said Ducey and the board president, Gregory Miller, want to move money from district schools to charters? You’ll learn more about that, and about President Miller, in the video by Ann-Eve Pedersen, my cohost on the cable access show, Education: The Rest of the Story (which, by the way, may end its run shortly if Access Tucson is forced to close its doors).
Fun fact: Gregory Miller is CEO and Superintendent of Challenge Charter School in Glendale—population, about 530 students. His salary is $122,000. His wife, Pamela, the Executive Director and Vice President, also gets a $122,000 salary. Their daughter, Wendy, is principal and secretary of the school. Her salary is $99,000. Watch the video to find out who determined their salaries.
This article appears in May 21-27, 2015.
Can you imagine that kind of pay scale?
Wait a minute:
H.T. Sanchez, the new superintendent of Tucson Unified School District, will be paid $210,000 yearly as part of a three-year contract approved by the Governing Board on Friday night.
He will also receive over $31,000 in benefits, and be eligible for a six-percent performance bonus and a third-year incentive of 50 percent of his pay for that year. That bonus could be worth $124,000.
With the bonus and benefits it looks like a total of $261,000 per year.
“Third year” incentive bonus? To stay or having survived?
530 students to $122,000 compared to 50,000 students (light estimate) to $261,000…that’s what you want to compare?
Apparently Sanchez is underpaid by $11,248,434.
I’m glad you mention the media, which includes yourselves. Diane Douglas has been getting slammed by the media in Phoenix and elsewhere in the state, and The Weekly (Safier) has joined in on that. It’s pretty obvious she’s more than just a one issue candidate and we should be applauding her for the way she has stood up to the Governor and the state board of ed. The fight she’s engaging in is a fight against these shady folks and these very kinds of shady practices. Instead everyone tries to paint her as some kind of loon.
I voted for David Garcia, reluctantly, because he sounded way too status quo. I never felt like he was someone who was really going to stand up against these folks. He publicly supported common core even though he privately disagreed with them. Why? Because he wanted the business community to endorse him.
Diane Douglas, for all her faults, has been consistent in where she stands on issues and has been willing to actually champion public education. I hope she continues to do so and I hope she gets the grassroots support she needs from people of this state to start winning some of these battles.
It’s funny that there’s a recall Diane Douglas campaign when there should really be a recall Doug Ducey one.
Greg and Pam Miller’s salaries are almost half of what has been stated here. This story is slanderous and inaccurate. I would recommend taking it down. It is time Safier to find a new victim or to re-do the numbers. I’m sure people are used to you having the facts wrong, but numbers are easier to prove.
The reason the “mainstream” media is not helping to tell this story, is because it is a lie. Here is one mainstream media outlet that told the financial story of the Miller’s non-profit school where they must do several jobs to keep the monies in the classroom:
http://www.kpho.com/story/28999644/while-many-public-schools-struggle-some-charter-chains-profit
There is no district office to perform centralized processes. Salaries are commiserate with workload. At the Millers’ school over 59% of their funds go into the classroom which exceeds the average in all districts across the State and most other charters.
Yes, the General Fund gives more on the base of the charter formula due to the other monies charters don’t get such as property taxes, bonds, overrides, etc. Most of the district charters that converted were not actually charters and were ultimately stealing the tax dollars you speak of by double-dipping as they did receive all of the other monies that true charters do not and their facility costs and centralized processes were all still at the district budget level. The authentic district sponsored charters will continue to operate as such. The double-dippers did get stopped but get to keep a lot of money that wasn’t intended for them.
Again, this story is so full of lies it is slanderous. The Millers have a substantial educational background. Most of it, including serving on the State Board of Education, is volunteer time dedicated to kids and to move AZ education forward. What do you do to move AZ education forward? This appears rather to be divisive and one-sided. In the multiple volunteer roles the Millers have served they have worked to unite all kinds of schools to advance a singular agenda: kids first. People do have to get paid to work. Ms. Pederson, what are your qualifications?
Mrs. Miller served on the Paradise Valley District Governing Board for 8 years, was elected President of the United Parent Council that represented 36 schools, and was a full time elementary school volunteer on hundreds of committees and in the classroom and nurses’ office for over 10 years.
Mr. Miller has taught 7th and 8th grade Special Education and also served in countless education volunteer positions. Much too many to list.
Yes, this education background is combined with business background for both. Since they are now charged with managing tax payer dollars as you have said, and Mr. Miller now leads a statewide education body, I would think that experience would be a plus. A great deal of traditional public school funds are managed by people without any financial background and knowledge. Is that better?
What do you do for kids? How much money do you make? It is very easy to point fingers at others when you don’t have to have any facts to back it up or any transparency for your own agenda. This video needs to be immediately taken down.
Hey Wendy…it would be nice if charters were subject to the same financial transparency and accountability standards as school districts — and I mean every single aspect! Then questions about the integrity of what is reported would be more meaningful. Taking your word for it or another news report doesn’t cut it. My tax dollars pay for you — I demand reporting what you do like we do for school districts.
AZWildcat – transparency: I’m using my name here. You are not. We have a substantial on-site annual audit that reviews all of our financials as charters. The details are available at the State Board for Charter Schools. Educate yourself on the matter. All non-profit charter schools, which we are a non-profit, are accountable to every state and federal financial regulation that any district is with no district office to assist with the compliance reporting.
Joe Weirather:The Conflict of Interest Piece is also choosing to use incorrect data to try and create a story where one does not exist.
Shame you all waste so much energy talking about something that is irrelevant to advancing our students. At our school, students from all backgrounds perform in the top 10% of the State. That makes us pretty darn accountable for the dollars that came into our school and shows where our priority is.
Wendy, Does your school have students with IEPs or ELLs? Your principal salary is almost double a district principal’s salary. With all the evidence you cite for your mother, a teaching certificate is not one of them. Eighty five percent of AZ students attend public schools. Shouldn’t the composition and leadership of the state Bd of Ed reflect those numbers? My guess is those students who are doing well in your school, would be doing just fine in a district public school too. Skimming students from the top achievement end of public schools and then getting great scores is no real accomplishment, and having three administrative salaries for 530 students is pretty phenomenal.
Wendy David Safier has said if you can provide factual information about what is true or not true, he will publish it. I have not seen anything like that from him and he would I know if you had provided evidence of lies. Just saying it is not true doesn’t do a thing. What you said does nothing to disprove what was said and published here. I do not think business background necessarily gives anyone more credibility in education. Seems like it just teaches people how to cheat or overpay top earners. I would like to see published certificates both in education and leadership in the state of Arizona which is required by law. Being a volunteer is great but still does not require the necessary classes and ongoing professional development. Ann-Eve Pederson is not running a charter school for the amount of money you and your family are receiving. She has every right to investigate and publish her findings as a citizen even though she is far more than that. I find your justifications Wendy Miller appalling .
This is on Gov. Ducey’s page now as well as many others. It will be viral very soon.
Wendy: I have a couple of questions in the genuine interest of educating myself.
1) I went to the state board site as you suggested, but was only able to find very high level financial data, nothing about the details or operations. Was there more that I was missing? If so, can you please direct me to it? I believe much of the pushback about charter schools is the apparent lack of transparency, and what you sent us to earlier does little to belay that.
2) Also, you’ve mentioned that your school have no administrative support staff to help with reporting requirements, but both of your parents hold high level executive positions with the school. What do they do if not administration?
An excellent interview with Ann-Eve Pedersen and excellent points. IMHO, we are missing the point and chasing the proverbial red herring. The Greg Miller/Diane Douglas issues are but side shows to the main issue. Governor Ducey is singularly focused on dismantling public education as we know it in favor of private, for profit schools. The Governor has bought into the Koch Brothers less government agenda, he is funded by them and he will do his level best to carry out that agenda – with the “speed of business”.
His most recent establishment of a school funding advisory committee is loaded with charter school proponents including Mr Miller and the Goldwater Institute. Need we need more evidence?
Spin it any way you wish there is more than enough funding for education from many levels of government. Missing is accountability.
Wendy,
Ann-Eve’s Peterson’s salary numbers may be wrong, but I have not see any evidence that you have furnished that this is so. Superintendents and principals even of larger/public school districts must wear “many hats” and do much outside of the job description.
As Joe Weirather notes, the audits on the ASBCS site provide little breakdown of where the money is spent. I also do not see any calculations for the 59% classroom spending you mention.
You claim Challenge has students from all backgrounds. http://www.greatschools.org/arizona/glenda… says that Challenge is 74% White and 11% Hispanic, with 19% Free/Reduced Lunch (in TUSD you would be deemed a Racially Concentrated school). This may be representative of the neighborhood Challenge is in, but it is not representative of Arizona.
Go after all the Charter Schools, or go after none. Nice to see Challenge Charter getting some scrutiny.
Maybe the Miller’s should spend some of their salaries on a public affairs representative. Wendy Miller, please stop attempting to engage in “damage control” in the forum section, it is not helping your cause.
I challenge David Safier to produce the proof of these salaries he is claiming. Current proof. I am not going to do that work for him. Neither him nor Ann-Eve’s statements here are supported by any proof of fact. Why should I have to disprove something he has not proved? And frankly why should I have to be discussing how much money I make with strangers. Strangers who also know very little about how many jobs we are doing to have one of the best schools in the state. I do think I am allowed some dignity and that my family is owed some respect for what we have accomplished and the work we do. I do not see David lifting anyone up or working with schools. Just pointing fingers without any paper behind him. So, YOU PROVE IT! I don’t need to disprove it. I didn’t print it. This is not “damage control.” If I was ashamed or afraid of this slanderous attack, I would not be posting on the page under my name. I am contacting my attorney as I don’t need to prove to any stangers what I do or do not make. However, David has been unable to prove his numbers and this is now having a potential impact on our ability to do business. David, take down these lies, support them with actual ctax records from the current year you claim to know or expect our attorney to reach out asap. All of these statements are lies including our backgrounds. Blind followerds: Don’t you think Channel 5 did more HW than this blogger did to stand behind us and our numbers?
The ignorance on these posts is truly palpable. Yes, we have several students on IEPs and ILLP’s and 504’s. We are a public school. Our Special Education population exceeds the performance acheivement averages for students not in Special Education. We do not “skim off the top.” I would actually agree that some schools do which is why the accusation about our accomplishments is insultive to me and to our whole faculty who work so hard together to acheive these results.
BTW: 2008 is NOT current numbers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wendy it is pretty obvious to me you have no facts or you would gladly present them to the public that pays you.
Geez, Wendy, I gave you information from a 2013 and a 2008 income tax form filed by the school. If things have changed since 2013, please let us know by showing us the tax forms — which, by the way, are public records. That’s one of the stipulations for getting nonprofit status. And as for me and others who look at your salary: We’re not “strangers.” We’re your funders.
And no, Wendy, you don’t have any privacy when it comes to your salary. You’re a public servant since your salary is paid for using taxpayer money. If the charter wants to go for-profit, then you can hide how much you and your parents make. It’s wrong, because you’re still being paid with taxpayer money, but it’s legal.
David Safier: 2
Wendy Miller: 0
Oh Wendy, I was actually offering your real, sound advice. Instead, you threw a temper tantrum for all to see, and will forever be public record, even though this is an online forum.
Wendy, you are not winning any supporters here, and your public opinion meter has dropped considerably with every emotional, ranting post you have made.
David did not make those numbers up. I believe in facts, logic and proof. You will not appeal to me, a “followerd”, emotionally.
But please, continue to defend your stance without any facts or links. I am sure Channel 5 will be proud.
Wendy, I m not going to belabor your incorrect use of English in your first post. As a k12 principal and sole administrator at a school with nearly 600 students, I earned $57,000 in my final year. I did everything you 3 did, and was properly certified as a teacher and principal. I’ll bet your school doesn’t provide a librarian, health clerk, counselor, social worker, bus driver, cafeteria worker or crossing guard. All of those components increase admin costs so it is easy for you to have higher classroom spending. Your increasingly emotional, defensive, and threatening posts show someone has struck a real nerve.
The legislature created statutes do that have zero requirements for education nor experience for principals and teachers within charter schools. Charter schools can be for-profit. Charter schools do not have to pay for a librarian, health clerk, counselor, social worker, bus driver, cafeteria worker or crossing guard. Where does the money go? For-Profit private owners or “Non-profit charter management companies which are owned by private individuals or corporations. Some are even owned by the legislative representative themselves. Now these are facts that anyone can verify with the legislature or board of education. They may not want to answer you. It is all in the statutes. Ask your local charter school for the documentation of the principal’s and teacher’s education before sending your child to that school. Not a certificate from the school but actual college degree. They require them in regular schools.
We cannot get the legislature to change these laws because it is in their financial interest. What we can do is not support the charter schools that are taking millions of our hard earned money and pocketing it. You also think charter schools are a good choice? Do you think a person with a G.E.D. can teach your child common core? Really? Look at your school close before you send your child there. It is that simple. The scores may be high for the charter schools but are they/ true and accurate? Do the research and you will see there are scams on those scores as well.
My God, in the private sector this bitch would have gone down the road eons ago following the Gov conflict, not to mention her most recent arrogance and attitude of indifference… the teacher community, which includes this moron, has never understood financial accountability or for that matter even education…just suggest student testing…. Arizona needs to get rid of this typical trouble making, self-serving bag of disrespect and indignant arrogance…. Jesus, what happened to democracy and this representative republic allowing someone like this into government control…. ever heard this statement before…. I love my country, but I fear the government…. look over this bureaucratic shoulder and decide…..
Does anyone believe this young kid actually wrote this editorial…? Wow, I got a cabbage patch for sale
I love the political rhetoric of education inside the schools… education is always defined as “for the kids” when at the same time public budgets exceed 90 percent in payroll and operations are 10 per cent or less…. 30 years ago families, both poor and middle class did not have to go to Walmart for a supply list because school budgets provided for supplies, rather than payroll…. call it like it is when “for this kids” is really “for the employee”