(The Center Square) – Incoming Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner will be compensated $425,000 a year as part of a newly-agreed upon contract with the school board.
The contract establishes a base salary of $365,000 with the inclusion of $60,000 in tax sheltered annuity plan contributions. In comparison, former Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones earned $390,940 in his final contract with the district right before he announced his intent to step down from the role at the end of last school year. Shuldiner’s salary is about 9% more than Jones’.
Fred Podesta is currently serving as the interim superintendent for the beginning of the 2025-26 school year with a salary of $320,355.
Shuldiner’s first day as superintendent will be on Feb. 1, 2026, with his contract running through June 2028, as limited by state law. He will be the fourth superintendent for Seattle Public Schools since 2014.
Shuldiner is departing his current role as superintendent of the Lansing School District in Michigan, where he has served since 2021. His experience in education leadership roles includes roles in Michigan and New York for more than 20 years.
During his time at Lansing, the district saw a 26% increase in graduation rate, a 15% increase in attendance, and a true increase in district enrollment for the first time in decades, according to Seattle Public Schools.
“Reaching this agreement was collaborative and reflects our commitment to the partnership and our genuine excitement to welcome Superintendent Shuldiner to Seattle Public Schools,” School Board President Gina Topp said during the board meeting on Wednesday night. “He brings a strong record of improving graduation rates, attendance, enrollment rates, and has led both with innovation and stability in Lansing.”
School Board members previously touted Shuldiner’s experience in budgeting as he successfully increased the Lansing School District’s fund balance by over $40 million. Seattle Public Schools faced a budget gap of approximately $100 million that led to a plan to close 17 to 21 schools in order to save about $30 million However, pushback from teachers and families led to the district scrapping any school closure plans and relying on levy renewals to secure long-term financial stability for the district
