Under his new contract, Vermilion Parish Superintendent Jerome Puyau will receive an annual salary of $148,811, putting him in the middle of the pack among Louisiana district superintendents.
Puyau’s previous salary of $110,130 placed him among the lowest-paid in the state, according to state data.
Earlier this week, Puyau said the $38,000 raise he received this year is his first salary increase since becoming superintendent in 2013.
He also acknowledged that Vermilion Parish teachers and support personnel have not received a raise in several years. Puyau said he plans to present a proposal for a pay raise to the school board in the next couple of months, but that it will take community support for any such proposal to pass.
Deyshia Hargrave, a middle school English teacher, was arrested at Monday night's Vermilion Parish School Board meeting after she questioned Puyau's raise.
Vermilion Parish teachers make an average of $46,446 this year, according to state data. Teachers can make more or less, depending on experience and whether they have higher degrees.
The average salary for a Louisiana superintendent is approximately $145,831. The salaries are generally the result of negotiations between the superintendent and the school board. Many superintendents also receive stipends or allowances for vehicles, cell phones or other amenities. They also usually receive substantial benefits packages.
Seven Louisiana superintendents received a salary of more than $200,000 in the 2016-17 academic year:
- Howard Drake, East Baton Rouge Parish: $262,050
- John Bourque, Acadia Parish: $237,490
- Theodis Goree, Caddo Parish: $232,500
- Joann Matthews, Lafourche Parish: $219,937
- William Folse, St. Tammany Parish: $211,214
- Isaac Joseph, Jefferson Parish: $205,021
- Donald Aguillard, Lafayette Parish: $205,000
Another 13 superintendents received salaries of between $175,000 and $195,000. Those superintendents work in St. James, Terrebonne, Orleans, Rapides, Bossier, Ouachita, St. Charles, Desoto, Bienville, Calcasieu and Assumption parishes, as well as the City of Monroe and Zachary Community Schools.
The vast majority of Louisiana superintendents have salaries that fall somewhere between $175,000 and $100,000 annually.
Another seven superintendents have salaries lower than $100,000 per year:
- Paul Nelson, Tensas Parish: $99,561
- Benita Young, Madison Parish: $95,600
- Darwan Lazard, Evangeline Parish: $94,553
- Sheila Jackson, Grant Parish: $94,535
- Gwile Freeman, Catahoula Parish: $92,390
- Patrick Jenkins, St. Landry Parish: $85,558
- Brian LeJeune, Jeff Davis Parish: $54,886
LOUISIANA SUPERINTENDENT SALARIES FOR 2016-17:
John Bourque, Acadia Parish: $237,490
Michael Doucet, Allen Parish: $147,606
David Alexander, Ascension Parish: $160,096
Earl Martinez, Assumption Parish: $175,067
Blaine Dauzat, Avoyelles Parish: $112,035
Timothy Cooley, Beauregard Parish: $114,725
William Britt, Bienville Parish: $179,127
Wendell Smith, Bossier Parish: $184,325
Theodis Goree, Caddo Parish: $232,500
Karl Bruchhaus, Calcasieu Parish: $176,050
John Gullatt, Caldwell Parish: $120,000
Charles Adkins, Cameron Parish: $110,900
Gwile Freeman, Catahoula Parish: $92,390
William Kennedy, Claiborne Parish: $108,467
Loretta Blankenstein, Concordia Parish: $110,725
Preston Brumley, Desoto Parish: $180,107
Howard Drake, East Baton Rouge Parish: $262,050
Voleria Millikin, East Carroll Parish: $111,634
Carlos Sam, East Feliciana Parish: $135,111
Darwan Lazard, Evangeline Parish: $94,553
Neal Johnson, Franklin Parish: $121,035
Sheila Jackson, Grant Parish: $94,535
Dale Henderson, Iberia Parish: $159,824
Mark Claxton, Jackson Parish: $120,973
Isaac Joseph, Jefferson Parish: $205,021
Brian LeJeune, Jeff Davis Parish: $54,886
Donald Aguillard, Lafayette Parish: $205,000
Joann Matthews, Lafourche Parish: $219,937
Roy Breithaupt, LaSalle Parish: $104,116
Michael Milstead, Lincoln Parish: $142,557
Homer Wentzel, Livingston Parish: $134,977
Benita Young, Madison Parish: $95,600
Hazel Sellers, Morehouse Parish: $111,067
Jesse Skinner, Natchitoches Parish: $116,960
Henderson Lewis, Orleans Parish: $193,324
Gerald Coker, Ouachita Parish: $184,030
Ronald Lemoine, Pointe Coupee Parish: $134,750
Nason Authement, Rapides Parish: $187,298
Alison Hughes, Red River Parish: $105,496
Sheldon Jones, Richland Parish: $129,309
Sara Ebarb, Sabine Parish: $142,618
Doris Voitier, St. Bernard Parish: $174,811
Felecia Gomez-Walker, St. Charles Parish: $180,700
Kelli Joseph, St. Helena Parish: $120,831
Edward Cancienne, St. James Parish: $195,000
Kevin George, St. John the Baptist Parish: $151,915
Patrick Jenkins, St. Landry Parish: $85,558
Lottie Beebe, St. Martin Parish: $139,097
Leonard Armato, St. Mary Parish: $147,310
William Folse, St. Tammany Parish: $211,214
Mark Kolwe, Tangipahoa Parish: $173,983
Paul Nelson, Tensas Parish: $99,561
Philip Martin, Terrebonne Parish: $194,000
George Cannon, Union Parish: $129,990
Jerome Puyau, Vermilion Parish: $110,130
James Williams, Vernon Parish: $116,556
Darrell Fairburn, Washington Parish: $132,826
Daniel Rawls, Webster Parish: $121,031
Wesley Watts, West Baton Rouge Parish: $131,850
Richard Strong, West Carroll Parish: $109,837
Hollis Milton, West Feliciana Parish: $167,600
Steven Barlett, Winn Parish: $112,023
Brent Vidrine, City of Monroe: $189,278
Willie Breaux, City of Bogalusa: $119,333
Lisa Tanner, City of Bogalusa: $13,229 (NOTE: Tanner was appointed in the spring of 2017, replacing Breaux.)
Vernon Devillier, Zachary Community School District: $178,597
Herman Brister, City of Baker School District: $140,000
Michael Faulk, Central Community School District: $129,413