How does a superintendent in a failing school district walk away with nearly half a million dollars a year? That’s the question Ted Dabrowski of Wirepoints.org tackled in his recent piece, and this week, he joined Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson to break it all down.
The case in question? Dolton School District 148, where Superintendent Kevin Nohelty is now earning $480,000 per year—an eye-popping figure in any context, but especially in a district where only 19% of students read at grade level, and just 7% can do math at grade level. Chronic absenteeism is nearly 50%, and yet almost all teachers are rated “excellent or proficient.” As Ted pointed out in the interview: “It’s accountability theater.”
Dabrowski didn’t just single out Dolton. He highlighted how Illinois’ education system is plagued by a trifecta of mismanagement:
- Lack of Accountability: Performance doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to compensation. Big raises and padded pensions are handed out regardless of whether students are actually learning.
- Sky-High Property Taxes: Illinois already has the highest property taxes in the nation, and yet schools continue to underperform while taxpayers are squeezed harder every year.
- A Broken Pension System: Nohelty’s salary spike isn’t just about this year’s budget—it’s setting him up for a massive, multi-million-dollar pension payout. And he’s not alone. Top superintendents across the state are collecting $300,000+ pensions that taxpayers will be on the hook for decades.
Ted also pointed out a disturbing contrast: while the legislature refuses to address failures in the public school system, it is actively moving to tighten regulations on homeschooling—a system that, unlike public education in Illinois, actually delivers for many families.
Illinois families deserve better—better leadership, better schools, and better use of their tax dollars. Until accountability is restored, the cycle of failure will continue.