The state Board of Education has approved a four-year contract for current Superintendent Keith Hayashi that represents an 18% raise, plus performance-based incentives.
The board passed a base annual salary of $294,674 for the Department of Education’s top official, up from his current $249,600.
Hayashi’s contract ends on Dec. 31, and his new contract will run through December 2029. Much of the discussion Wednesday included praise for Hayashi.
“The leadership and the things that I see and has been done through the years, Keith has been amazing,” said Board Chair Roy Takumi, a former area superintendent who used to work with Hayashi. “Compared to what others do, I’m really so thankful that you continue to do the work you do, and you deserve this raise. Because just by hearing the students and talking, I hear the same thing.”
Hayashi’s new contract also includes a performance-based raise of 5% to 8% based on his annual performance review.
The board also approved raises for deputy, assistant and complex area superintendents.
The salaries were determined in part by a study conducted by Gallagher Benefits Services to explore the compensation plans for the DOE’s executive leadership. It found that, on average, leadership gets paid 20% less compared to the “market midpoint” of similar school districts across the U.S.
Wesley Lo, chair of the board’s Human Resources Committee, said in a letter on Hayashi’s pay, that the raise “recognizes the importance of compensation in attracting, retaining, and motivating high-performing educational leaders and professionals who are committed to delivering excellent outcomes for our students, families, and the broader community.”
There were concerns that the raise would hurt the morale of DOE employees, including teachers, who reportedly have struggled to improve their own compensation.