St. Louis Park Board Approves Superintendent Raise Amid Teacher Pushback
The district extended Carlondra Hines' contract a year early, increasing her salary to over $270,000 by 2030.
By Sakura Novak ·
St. Louis Park school board members approved a three-year contract extension for Superintendent Carlondra Hines one year ahead of schedule, a decision that triggered immediate criticism from local teachers and parents. The new agreement raises Hines' annual compensation from approximately $260,000 in the first year to more than $270,000 by the end of the term in 2030.
The approval came at a school board meeting last week, where several community members asked the board to pause the early vote. Kate McDonald, a teacher in the district, argued that the issue extends beyond money. "Compensation is only one part of the issue with the proposed early vote today. Trust is another," McDonald said.
Meghan Settingsgard, a parent and teacher, questioned the district's spending priorities. She pointed to rising class sizes and limited classroom resources as evidence that administrative costs are taking precedence over student needs. "Are we putting our resources where they will have the greatest impact on students, or are we prioritizing administrative compensation while classroom needs continue to go unmet?" Settingsgard asked.
Board Chair Virginia Mancini defended the early extension as a practical step to maintain stability. She described the process of finding a new superintendent as labor-intensive, destabilizing, and costly. Mancini noted that board members compared Hines' salary to those in similar districts and viewed the early deal as a courtesy to keep operations running smoothly.
Sarah Davis, another board member, emphasized the financial implications of starting a new search now. Davis stated that the district would pay a higher salary to a new superintendent at this stage, in addition to costs for a search firm and additional board meetings. "I just want to be abundantly clear with everybody that we would pay more for another superintendent if we did that at this point," Davis said.
Settingsgard countered that classroom conditions have deteriorated. She reported that average class sizes have exceeded 30 students, with some classrooms reaching 36 or 37. She also noted that textbooks and online learning tools are running short. McDonald added that every financial decision reflects the district's values. "Every dollar spent is a statement in what we believe, and what we value," McDonald said.
A district spokesperson told KSTP 5 Eyewitness News on Wednesday that she could not provide information on the accuracy of the class size numbers, plans to reduce sizes, or comments on the compensation concerns. The district has not yet released a detailed response.
