Nearly $1 Million Spent On Athletic Directors In Clay Schools
District AD's Are Being Paid 32% More Than Starting Teachers
Clay County Schools are under increased scrutiny about their budget and spending. With a total budget exceeding half a billion dollars, questions are being asked about how the money is being spent. Per the latest contract between the teacher’s union and the county, at least $900,000 of those funds are being spent on 14 Athletic Director positions.
Each junior and senior high school in the county has an athletic director. These positions are listed as ‘instructional’ positions on the school district’s website. However, the job description for the position does not list any classroom or instructional responsibilities.
Instead, the responsibilities are largely administrative. Here are a few examples of what is expected from a county athletic director:
Attend all Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) meetings/trainings as well as all district or school meetings regarding school athletic programs per the Coordinator of District Athletics and Development and the FHSAA. (i.e., rules clinics, scheduling meetings, etc.).
Conduct the athletic program of the school in accordance with rules of the school, the district and the FHSAA.
Actively promote the athletic program of the school through various technology based communication platforms.
Develop and monitor equity plans for the athletic programs as necessary.
While no one questions that athletics is an integral part of junior and senior high, the optics of highly paid athletic directors are not great. At a time when the school board and district are at odds over spending and budget oversight, the state is facing a historic teacher shortage, and the school district is spending millions to revert school safety to the sheriff’s office, spending nearly a million dollars on non-instructional positions could be seen as an unnecessary luxury.
The salaries for the district athletic directors are listed in the recently negotiated contract between the Clay County Education Association and the school district. The starting pay is $64,398 and can reach up to $75,833.
In comparison, teachers in the district start at $48,500 and max out at $55,750. School psychologists begin at $50,000 and max out at $56,250. Comparing the numbers, athletic directors are paid 32% more than teachers and 28% more than psychologists.
Where the district spends its money shows what it values and prioritizes. Based on the pay scales, the district values athletics more than teaching and mental health.
Despite the optics, the school district shows no signs of wavering on the addition of athletic directors. On Tuesday, September 10th, Keystone Heights announced the addition of not one but two new ADs.
Two people doing one job won’t help the perception of wasteful spending within the school district. In addition to the athletic directors, the district is launching websites for each school’s athletic department.
It is unclear if the school board members were aware of the athletic department spending, as the budget has long been veiled in categories that are difficult to review at a granular level. Spending like this will fuel the fire for people calling for an independent financial audit of district spending.
Joshua , I know you meant well here . However , I’m not sure the adequate research was done . To begin with , a teacher and a school psychologist are on a 196 day pay scale because they get two months off . An athletic director has to work all year . Why you ask? It’s because sports go year round so they have to be managed . A teacher works 7-330 in clay county high school and may occasionally have to grade or lesson plan a little in the evening. An athletic director is one of the first employees at a school each day and most leave after the last event or team gets back to school . Around 8 if they are lucky. They budget , handle transportation, eligibility, facilities ( cutting. and lining several fields a week) , scheduling. I could go on for days . These issues have ALWAYS been handled by Athletic directors . I’d bet every school in the country has a athletic director . The budgets( that are “hidden” ) are public record just like most anything else at a school. Like most schools in this state , athletics in clay county are significantly underfunded . A better story might would be why most coaches eventually leave the state because the pay is egregiously low . Go check the supplements on the clay county schools website . Coaches work 20-30 hours a week extra and are paid pennies . If you ever want to chat feel free to reach out to me . I’m adding a link to an article that discusses how low the coaching pay is in Florida.
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/high-school/2024/04/01/florida-high-school-football-faces-growing-problem-coach-defections/73117929007/
Still waiting to see a response to my reply or anyone else’s from the author of the post. The “historic teacher shortage” from the article is a response to the awful teacher pay and treatment from school districts and the state . Teachers , administrators, coaches , and support staff like athletic directors should all be paid a fair wage based on the amount of hours they work and the expectations of the job .