Majority of Washington, Greene and Fayette superintendents rank in bottom half of salaries in Pennsylvania
About two-thirds of superintendents in the 26 public school districts that serve Washington, Greene and Fayette counties ranked in the bottom half of salaries in the state in 2023-24.
The highest paid superintendent in Washington County, Peters Township School District Superintendent Dr. Jeannine French, earned $219,440 and was ranked 53rd on the list, according to recent salary data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
In Fayette County, Dr. Jesse T. Wallace III, superintendent of Laurel Highlands School District, came in 172nd while earning $173,185, and the top wage earner in Greene County, West Greene School District Superintendent Brian Jackson, earned $130,000, 344th among the Keystone State’s 500 public school superintendents.
Uniontown Area School District Superintendent Dr. Charles Machesky works without a salary. Machesky decided to surrender his paycheck in 2012, and more than 12 years later, the lifelong Uniontown resident continues to work pro bono.
Statewide, the highest-paid superintendent,Tony Washington, of the Philadelphia City School District, earned $340,000, while Robert Rocco, superintendent of Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District in Clearfield County, earned the lowest salary, $40,500.
The DOE recently released its annual individual salary report for 192,450 staff members at public schools and other schools, which includes superintendent salaries.
Last year, the average salary of a superintendent in Pennsylvania – $161,000 – had increased almost 12% over the previous five years.
Washington County superintendents averaged around $157,382 annually, while their counterparts in Greene and Fayette counties earned $120,654 and $144,989, respectively.
While salaries have increased, the demands and stresses of the job have, too.
“Being a superintendent is an around-the clock job for sure, and it’s become more challenging over the past five years, without a doubt,” said Sherri Smith, director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. “Educators are probably the most passionate individuals about their jobs and their responsibilities to their school and students. They care deeply about their students and education, so they dedicate their life to doing the job. But they do give up a lot because it is all-encompassing. It’s many times a thankless job anymore, and that makes me sad.”
Christopher Pegg, superintendent of Albert Gallatin Area School District in Fayette County, has been with the school district for 18 years and has served as superintendent since 2017.
A lifelong resident of the school district, two of Pegg’s children graduated from Albert Gallatin High School, and another is a seventh-grader in the district. He acknowledged the demands that come with the position.
“Coming into it, I knew there were challenges with making critical decisions, and it’s a demanding and stressful position,” he said, noting declining enrollment (the district has lost 1,000 students), a growing teacher shortage, and student mental health issues among the top issues the district faces.
Despite the challenges, including being on call 24/7 – even on vacation – Pegg finds satisfaction in his job.
“I take a lot of pride in Albert Gallatin. We have a good community, and I’m proud to serve the Albert Gallatin community, and we work to have a positive impact on programming and preparing our students for whatever path they choose, whether it’s college, the workforce, or the military,” said Pegg. “It gives me a great sense of pride that I can have a positive impact here. Fayette County is my home and I wouldn’t do this job for any other district. I understand the tax base and I understand our district’s situation, and I earn a salary that works so you’ll never hear me complain.”
Washington School District Superintendent George Lammay, who came out of retirement to lead the district in 2022, said political and social issues have made the job of superintendents more difficult.
“Schools have become the tug-of-war in the battles over social issues, and all of those hot-button political issues raised – especially in a presidential election year -often work their way to a superintendent’s office,” said Lammay.
He noted that superintendents are hired on a contract basis, with no guarantee of renewal at the end of the contract, and work with a school board – a relationship that “requires nurturing, problem-solving, and an understanding of legal issues and how they play into what a school district can do.”
Lammay retired from Bentworth School District, where he served as assistant superintendent, but decided he wasn’t ready for retirement.
“The job is difficult. It’s a demanding position because at any given moment you don’t know what’s coming at you. What is rewarding is to see our students make progress and grow, and to make those relationships,” said Lammay, who greets students every day. “I’m not here because I like pushing the pencil around, even though you have to. I get to support the staff, and our staff needs support. We have a lot of burned-out teachers across the country, and our staff does a great job here and they work hard and have some unique challenges. I want to make them feel good about what they do every day. I love what I’m doing here, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity.”
In 2023-24, about 66% of superintendents held doctoral degrees, and 24% of superintendents were women, according to Smith.
As of 2003, 227 of Pennsylvania’s 500 superintendents had been with the same school district for five years, up from the previous year.
But, during the 2022-23 school year, superintendent attrition rates reached 16.8%, according to Ed Fuller, associate professor in the Department of Education Policy Studies at Penn State University’s College of Education.
Data from the DOE salary report includes two superintendents, from Canon-McMillan and Central Greene school districts, who retired, and one superintendent, from Frazier School District, who accepted a position with an Allegheny County school district.
When Dr. Ed Zelich, superintendent of Charleroi Area School District, was hired as the top administrator in 2014, he wasn’t anticipating an explosion in the number of English-Language Learners (ELL), the result of the growing community of refugees and immigrants who have resettled into the borough.
Haitian families began moving to Charleroi in large numbers about 11 years ago, fleeing political unrest and violence in their home country. Families from other countries also have moved into the community.
But Zelich and the school district have embraced the district’s ELL learners and their families, calling diversity “a super power in our learning community.”
“One of the primary challenges is balancing the diverse needs of our students, especially in a district with the surge in English-Language Learner student populations and diverse socioeconomic backgrounds,” Zelich said. “Ensuring every student has access to quality education, regardless of their circumstances, is a constant priority.”
Zelich said managing resources in the face of budget constraints is another challenge. Additionally, keeping up with an evolving educational landscape, including integrating new technologies and meeting state and federal mandates, poses its own set of challenges.
“What motivates and excites me about this leadership position is the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of our students. Seeing our students achieve their potential and knowing that our district is preparing them for successful futures is incredibly rewarding,” said Zelich. “The challenges are real, but they are also what drive me to continually improve and innovate. The impact we can make on our students, our schools, and our community is what keeps me motivated every day.”