School's out, but data is in: See which districts, charter schools paid educators the most

Public school districts and charter schools across Delaware vary greatly in what they pay their educators.

State data provided by the Department of Education shows a difference of over $38,000 between the average educator salary at the highest-paying district/charter school – New Castle County Vo-Tech – and the lowest-paying – Thomas Edison Charter School – in the last school year.

Overall, the average educator salary in Delaware was $71,186. According to the National Education Association, educators nationwide earned an average of $69,544 last year.

Data obtained through a public records request by The News Journal/Delaware Online also shows that the highest-paid individual employees in Delaware – primarily superintendents and other district and charter leaders – do not always align with the highest-paying districts.

SEE THE DATA : Delaware state employee salary database

Here is a breakdown of the highest and lowest-paying charter schools and districts in the 2023-2024 school year, as well as the state’s top earners in education.

Highest-paying school districts and charter schools by average educator salary:

1. New Castle County Vo-Tech: $84,703 (374 full-time educators)
2. Brandywine School District: $82,323 (803 full-time educators)
3. Sussex Technical School District: $79,854 (89 full-time educators)
4. Charter School of Wilmington: $78,114 (49 full-time educators)
5. Delaware Military Academy: $78,016 (28 full-time educators)
6. Christina School District: $76,971 (1,101 full-time educators)
7. Cape Henlopen School District:  $74,480 (545 full-time educators)
8. Indian River School District:  $73,598 (816 full-time educators)
9. Red Clay Consolidated School District: $73,597 (1,093 full-time educators)
10. Polytech School District: $73,578 (90 full-time educators)

Lowest-paying school districts and charter schools by average educator salary:

1. Thomas Edison Charter School: $46,480 (41 full-time educators)
2. Kuumba Academy Charter School: $52,291 (49 full-time educators)
3. Early College High School at DSU: $53,114 (20 full-time educators)
4. Providence Creek Academy Charter School: $53,382 (47 full-time educators)
5. Positive Outcomes Charter School: $54,055 (14 full-time educators)
6. Academy of Dover Charter School: $54,807 (27 full-time educators)
7. East Side Charter School: $55,146 (38 full-time educators)
8. Charter School of New Castle: $55,497 (35 full-time educators)
9. Campus Community School: $57,451 (27 full-time educators)
10. Sussex Montessori School: $58,295 (22 full-time educators)

Top 10 highest-paid school district employees:

1. Dan Shelton, Christina School District Superintendent: $235,692 (average educator salary: $76,971)
2. Heath Chasanov, former Woodridge School District Superintendent: $217,184 (average educator salary: $62,613)
3. Salome Thomas-EL, Thomas Edison Charter School Head of School: $208,327 (average educator salary: $46,480)
4. Robert Fulton, Cape Henlopen School District Superintendent: $206,806 (average educator salary: $74,480)
5. LaRetha Odumosu, Charter School of New Castle Middle School Executive Director: $203,126 (average educator salary: $55,497)
6. Vilicia Cade, Capital School District Superintendent: $202,940 (average educator salary:  $64,460)
7. Jeffrey Menzer, Colonial School District Superintendent: $202,515 (average educator salary: $73,548)
8. Dorrell Green, Red Clay School District Superintendent:  $202,085 (average educator salary: $73,597)
9. Joseph Jones, New Castle County Vo-Tech School District Superintendent: $197,949 (average educator salary: $84,703)
10. Matthew Burrows, Appoquinimink School District Superintendent: $197,362 (average educator salary: $69,362)

Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on X at @h_edelman.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: School's out, but data is in: See which districts, charter schools paid educators the most