You can’t blame Washington,D.C.’s newbie Mayor Adrian Fenty for wanting to overhaul the city’s underperforming public school system. But regardless of whether his plan succeeds or fails, the average annual compensation package for each D.C. area school superintendent will run well over $350,000 per year, according to The Washington Post.

“In Montgomery County, Maryland, the $242,686 salary paid this year to School Superintendent Jerry D. Weast represents not quite half of a total compensation package valued at $489,763. John E. Deasy in Prince George’s County will receive $424,080 in total compensation, with less than two-thirds coming from salary, according to figures provided by the school system.”

Deborah Lambert writes the Squeaky Chalk column for Accuracy in Academia‘s monthly Campus Report newsletter from which this feature is excerpted.