The purpose of the study was to investigate contemporary practices for structuring public school administrative salaries in selected school districts, to analyze administrative salaries in selected school districts, to analyze practices reported, and to develop a conceptual model for structuring public school administrative salaries.School districts perceived as being innovative by a panel of experts with a national perspective were selected. Respondent superintendents provided school district salary policy and administrative regulations or procedures with explanations, clarifications, or comments which might facilitate accurate interpretation of the salary structure. Responses were analyzed, structure classifications were identified, and frequency of application of selected classifications were identified for the sample school districts and descriptively presented. A conceptual model was prepared from the aggregated data coupled with findings from the literature review for application to structuring of public school administrative salaries.Seven structure classifications emerged from data analysis: (1) time, (2) base rate, (3) role, (4) education, (5) longevity, (6) performance assessment, and (7) index. Each of the seven classifications were defined as follows: (1) time - contractual commitment, (2) base rate - standard salary amount, (3) role - position held by the administrator, (4) education - minimum formal training necessary to enter administrative positions, (5) longevity - length of service in education, (6) performance assessment - evaluation of administrator achievement, and (7) index - administrative salary schedule based on teacher salary schedule.Five of the seven classifications were utilized to develop the following conceptual model:AS = BR x (EW1 + TW2 + RW3) + (PA x BR)whereAS = Administrative salaryBR = Superintendent annual base salary E = EducationT = Time (length of contract) R = RoleW = Weight of factor (W1 + W2 + W3 = 1.00)PA = Performance assessmentSchool districts could add other factors, but the design of the model dictates factor weights adding to 1.00.

The focus of this study was to determine the unique contribution to administrative salaries of the following criteria: gender, ethnicity, total years' experience in education, district years' experience in education, degrees held, per pupil expenditure, and school size. The sample was comprised of 1,866 administrators in 27 Texas suburban school districts with an Average Daily Attendance (ADA) over 10,000. The 1986-87 salaries of the following 11 administrative positions were analyzed using a multiple regression equation: deputy superintendent, assistant and associate superintendent, business officer, personnel officer, senior high principal and assistant principal, junior high principal and assistant principal, elementary principal and assistant principal.