By Hank Russell
The Empire Center recently came out with a report that showed that 90 educators statewide made over $300,000 this year. The report also showed that the top 10 highest earners earned over $350,000 annually, with seven of them from the Long Island area.
Based on data from SeeThroughNY.net, the highest-paid administrator is no longer with the school. Henry Grishman, who retired from the Jericho Union Free School District as the superintendent of schools, collected a total amount of $662,478 — the most of all educators. What’s more, the Empire Center noted, Grishman’s pay was greater than what New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa makes, which is $464,000, and two-and-a-half times more than what Governor Kathy Hochul earns, which is $250,000.
Allison Feldman, who is with the Roslyn UFSD, was the third-highest paid educator in the state, earning $391,907 in 2025, followed by Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School Ditrict Superintendent of Schools Francesco Ianni (4th, $383,500), Copiague UFSD School Superintendent Kathleen Bannon (5th, $377,584), Three Village CSD School Superintendent Kevin Scanlon (6th, $376,762), MIneola UFSD School Superintendent Michael Nagler (7th, $370,542) and Great Neck UFSD School Superintendent Kenneth Bossert (10th, $357,000).
The records include total compensation made by the school districts to all its educators, including part-time employment. They do not include educators from the New York City area.
According to the report, the average compensation fof full-time employees on Long Island during the 2024-25 school year was $118,591. That is highest in the state after the Mid-Hudson region ($114,801), Western New York ($84,993) and North Country ($73,315). Long Island’s figure exceeds the statewide average of $97,506 by 21.6% and was only 1.5% higher than the previous school year, when average compensation was $116,870.
All but five of Long Island’s school districts averaged more than $100,000 for their full-time employees, the Empire Center said. Jericho UFSD topped the list in Nassau County with an average pay of $146,902, while Half Hollow Hills CSD averaged the highest from Suffolk County at $141,935. Patrick Harrigan, retired Superintendent of the district was paid the highest in the district with a total pay of $339,052.
The data not only showed the highest-paid public school educators, but the most-compensated charter school educators as well. Raymond Ankrum. The superintendent of RIverhead Charter School, was the highest-paid charter school educator with $282,599.
The report was done by Abdullah Ar Rafee.