Bibb school budget crisis prompts scrutiny of employee salaries

The Bibb County Board of Education’s recent passage of a deficit-ridden budget has prompted public scrutiny of the school system’s finances, particularly the payroll.

While the board managed to narrow its projected shortfall from $23 million to $15 million by freezing open positions, eliminating employee step increases and trimming departmental inefficiencies, the fiscal crisis intensified questions about spending priorities.

Community engagement was low at last month’s public hearings, with only a handful of residents attending to listen to the board’s presentation on proposed cuts. At one of the meetings, a resident urged board members to take a hard look at the personnel and the salaries in the school district’s central office before considering any tax increase.

Many more residents, however, have taken to social media to voice concerns about the salaries paid to people at the top.

Board member Henry Ficklin has expressed similar concerns. He said the school district’s salary distribution is very “top heavy,” and the board could “go a long way” to balance the budget by removing unneeded positions.

He said the board needs to prioritize paying certified teachers more to keep them from going to work in neighboring counties.

“We need the money in the classrooms, where the teachers are,” Ficklin said.

So, how do the salaries in Bibb County compare to elsewhere?

The median pay for a high school teacher this past school year in the Bibb County district is $57,911, according to information acquired through a Melody open records request. 

The base salary for a brand new teacher in Bibb County started at $48,740, while in Houston County a teacher starting out earns $49,980, according to both districts’ pay tables.

While some Bibb County School District administrators make hundreds of thousands of dollars, those salaries fall in line with similar positions around the state.

The Bibb County School District oversees more than 20,000 students and expects to employ more than 2,300 people.

Salaries make up more than $175 million of the district’s $293 million general fund expenditures, according to the district’s June 2026 financial statement.

The district employs 10 assistant superintendents, who oversee everything from principal activities to federal grants to human resources. On average, those employees make $160,866, which exceeds the state’s average of $154,094 for assistant superintendents.

Superintendent Dan Sims received a three-year contract extension in November 2024. His salary was $262,000 this past school year, which will bump up to $275,625 next year, according to figures provided by the district.

However, a discrepancy exists in the state database, last updated in 2024, where Sims’ total compensation was listed at $329,789. That made him the 20th highest paid superintendent in the state.

By comparison, some Atlanta area school superintendents made nearly twice as much as Sims, according to the state database. 

In Richmond County, where Augusta is located, the superintendent pulled in $195,000. And, in Muscogee County, where Columbus is located, the superintendent made $287,543, according to a state database.

In Houston County, Superintendent Mark Scott made $368,000 annually before his retirement, which came after the 2024-25 school year, according to the database.

The public could have another opportunity to comment —  tentatively on August 12 and August 19 — if the board decides to change the property tax rate.