By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

BOARD of Education Chairman Roman C. Benavente, who has been complaining about the Public School System’s lack of funding, says school principals should be exempted from the paycuts mandated by the austerity law.
The law, P.L. 15-24, already exempts all 190-day contract employees of PSS and allows Education Commissioner David Borja to exempt other personnel.
Borja extended the exemption to principals and vice principals because, according to Benavente, “they deserve it.”
“The principals’ salary cap is $50,000 a year and they have master’s degrees and have been serving the system for a long time,” Benavente said. “With the workload that they have, they deserve this exemption. If they are not spared from the paycut, they will be receiving lower than what the teachers get and we don’t want that.”
PSS and BOE, he added, are open to “ideas and options” but principals “should be spared.”
Benavente said the board respects Borja’s decision and will not engage in any “micromanagement” of the school system’s operations.
PSS pays its teachers $27,000 to $28,000 a year depending on their qualifications.
The maximum salary, $48,000, is received by teachers who have obtained the required degree, certification and length of service to the system.
Compared to classroom teachers, Benavente said, principals have “more tasks and functions.”
He added, “They’re working 24/7 unlike the 190-day contract employees. They have more pressing and important functions in the schools.”
Some lawmakers want PSS to suspend step and merit pay increases, but Benavente said funding is not yet available for these salary adjustments.
“The board approved it but because funding is still not there, these employees haven’t received the increases. So we cannot say that we can save money by that move,” he said.
Benavente said the school system’s financial problems can only be remedied if the Legislature approves additional funding.
“We are open to anything right now and we’re looking at all aspects…but it’s only additional funding from the Legislature that can help us solve our problems,” he said.
He did not say where the cash-strapped government, whose revenue collections continue to decline, is to get additional funding.