Philly reveals sweet, but never-approved, contract add-ons for Ackerman

A never-approved amendment to Superintendent Arlene C. Ackerman's contract with the Philadelphia School District would have given her additional annual six-figure bonuses and free health care for life.

The amendment to Ackerman's contract, prepared sometime in 2010 but never signed, "is an old draft document that is no longer under discussion," said Shana Kemp, a district spokeswoman.

It was included in an extensive package of documents provided to the city as a result of a new "education accountability agreement" designed to allow Mayor Nutter to keep closer tabs on the district. It was released Wednesday by the city.

Michael Davis, the district's top attorney, said the document should not have been released.

Ackerman's base salary is $348,140, which makes her one of the highest-paid schools chiefs in the country. She was to receive a $100,000 retention bonus June 30, but has deferred it for an unspecified length of time.

The agreement would have taken that $100,000 and put it into a trust to be invested. An additional $150,000 would have been put into Ackerman's trust June 30, 2012, and every year on that date through 2015.

Those bonuses would have come on top of any performance bonuses she was paid. Ackerman is eligible to earn a performance bonus of up to 20 percent of her annual salary, based on her evaluation by the School Reform Commission.

The amendment also would have given her free health insurance for life. Her existing contract allows her to continue her health-care plan, but at her expense through COBRA.

The deal also would have given Ackerman an additional four days' vacation, bringing her total to 39 days - just under eight weeks. She would have also been allowed to trade as many as 15 days annually for cash, up from four.

The amendment would also have reduced the number of days Ackerman could engage in consulting business outside the district from 30 to 25.

Ackerman's existing contract, which was extended this year until 2014, contains perks including a car, a BlackBerry, a cellphone and usage, a laptop, and a printer.

According to another document released by the city Wednesday, Ackerman's office also employs two chauffeurs, who are paid $44,000 each.

Also among the documents released by the city was a list of noninstructional employees paid $90,000 or more. There are 227 of those, though an unspecified number were laid off recently.

The district last month laid off more than 2,700 workers and has ordered deep cuts to programs and school budgets as a result of a $629 million budget gap. The recent reduction in force included a 50 percent cut of central office staff.

Next week, officials will announce more austerity measures - including more layoffs - to close a new $35 million budget shortfall that comes on top of the $629 million gap.