BATON ROUGE, La. -- Lawmakers have agreed to a $56,000 pay raise for the state's superintendent of education.

WWL-TV

State Education Superintendent Paul Pastorek

Paul Pastorek's pay package will be $355,611 this year. With retirement benefits, his income from the job will top $400,000.

Several lawmakers grumbled about the pay, but the joint House and Senate budget committee agreed to the superintendent's contract in a 22-4 vote.

The pay package includes a housing allowance and car allowance, and the compensation could grow up to 6 percent annually if BESE gives him a positive job evaluation.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)