U-46 superintendent gets 5-year contract, salary bump to nearly $300,000
Elgin Area School District U-46 Superintendent Suzanne Johnson is among the 50 highest-paid school district leaders in the state, under a new five-year contract approved by the school board Monday.
As head of the state’s second-largest school district, Johnson’s base annual salary will be $299,704 for the 2025-2026 school year. In each subsequent year, her base salary will increase between 3% and 5%, based on her meeting performance goals set by the board.
The contract runs July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030.
Johnson’s previous contract started with a base annual salary of $282,500 for the 2023-2024 school year and went up by 3% to $290,975 in the 2024-2025 school year, district records show.
“Over the course of the last two years, Dr. Johnson has led our district with a deep commitment to the current and future success of our students,” school board President Melissa Owens said ahead of the board vote.
“Dr. Johnson's focus on equity and innovation in teaching and learning, her strategic guidance in our continued facilities work, and her thoughtful leadership in operational matters has been a tremendous asset to U-46,” she added.
Among the board’s established goals in the previous contract, Johnson helped complete formative data collection for the U-46 Rising initiative, revisions to a five-year Pathways plan, continuation and implementation of the district’s five-year facilities plan, and development of a new strategic plan, Owens said.
A Streamwood resident and graduate of Elgin High School, Johnson has spent her entire career in U-46. She previously served as deputy superintendent of instruction.
She was named superintendent in May 2023, after briefly serving as interim superintendent. Johnson replaced Tony Sanders, who was named the state superintendent of education in January of that year — and now earns $326,040 a year.
“I am so very deeply honored by your continued support and your collaboration in our work in U-46,” Johnson said after her contract was extended Monday. “As a former teacher and coach, I often liken what we do to being the like ultimate team sport, and there is no way that any of this would be possible without this extensive team of people who are so committed and passionate about what we do.”
By Oct. 31, Johnson is expected to prepare a new set of goals to be accomplished over the next five years. They will be reviewed and approved by the school board by Dec. 15.
The board listed four performance goals in Johnson’s latest contract: building early academic and social-emotional foundations in prekindergarten through second grade; creating a school climate focused on safety, sense of belonging and inclusion while increasing student attendance to 90%; improving students’ academic growth and achievement in reading, writing, mathematics and science on state and national assessments; and better preparing students for careers after graduation.
U-46 educates roughly 33,900 students from prekindergarten through high school. It serves all or parts of Bartlett, Elgin, Hanover Park, South Elgin, Streamwood, Wayne, Carol Stream, Hoffman Estates, St. Charles, Schaumburg and West Chicago.