The new superintendent of Evanston Township High School will get a pay raise over his currrent job as assistant superintendent/ETHS principal, but will make less than the man he’s replacing, who held the job for 16 years.
The District 202 Board of Education unanimously approved Marcus Campbell earlier this month to replace Eric Witherspoon, who is retiring at the end of June.
The board did not release Campbell’s contract at the time of the vote, so Evanston Now obtained it through a Freedom of Information request.
The three-year agreement sets Campbell’s initial salary at $275,000. Raises are not built in, however, the possibility of pay hikes is mentioned, with the amount to be determined following reviews by the board.
The district will also pick up Campbell’s retirement and retiree health care contributions, which is not unusual for top administrative positions.
According to the District 202 Administrative Compensation Report for Fiscal Year 2021, Campbell made $237, 468 base salary as assistant superintendent and principal.
For the same year, the report shows Eric Witherspoon’s base salary as superintendent was $367,654, with $42,594 in other benefits.
Campbell’s salary will be slightly higher than what District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton will make in 2022-23. Horton was recently given a 5% raise, to $262,500 annually.
The Better Government Association reports the superintendent of New Trier High School District 203 was paid $264,686 in 2019, the latest year included in the database, while the superintendent of Northfield Township High School District 225 made $275,000 that year.
Why’s he making less money than his predecessor?