‘Normal annual allotment of 108 sick days’: Illinois community outraged over superintendent’s exorbitant benefits

Critics are demanding an explanation from an Illinois school board after discovering the superintendent gets 108 days of paid sick leave every year.

The Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 confirmed Friday that Dr. Patrick Shelton’s contract grants him 25 vacation days, four personal days, and 21 weeks of paid sick leave.

“The Superintendent shall be granted a normal annual allotment of one hundred and eight (108) paid sick leave days per Contract year,” the contract reads. “Any sick leave days that are not used during a Contract year shall accumulate without limit.”

One online critic questions the usage of the word “normal” in the contract.  

“Under sick days it states that the superintendent is granted a ‘normal annual allotment of 108 sick days,’” the critic commented. “In what world is 108 sick days considered ‘normal’?!!!” 

For comparison, the district is scheduled to hold 180 days of classes.  

If Shelton used all 137 of his allocated leave days, he could plausibly work for just 43 days without facing any pay deductions. 

According to the same contract, Shelton earns $195,000 annually with the possibility of a raise each year. 

“The school board has some explaining to do,” said Jennifer Korte, a local resident, according to Fox 28 Savannah. “He has hardly had time to prove himself and the board allows this contract. Unbelievable.” 

Shelton started his stint as superintendent at the school in 2021.  

But despite the exorbitant benefits, School Board Vice President Terri Dalla Riva said Shelton’s contract was modeled off other superintendents’ and that his benefits were “less than average.”  

“I felt the grant of 108 sick days was an incentive for him, but not an incentive he would necessarily use fully,” Dalla Riva said. “With the sick day allotment, it is higher, but that total compensation package is less than the average of all of those together.” 

An analysis released by the School Superintendents Association in February determined over 50% of superintendents nationwide receive 11 to 15 days of sick leave annually.  

A large percentage receive 7-10 days, and less than 3% of superintendents received 26 or more sick days per year. 

Shelton’s contract is good through June 2028.