CLEVELAND -- The chief executive officer of Ohio's biggest public school district has received a hefty bonus.

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$54,000 Bonus

NewsChannel5 reported that the Cleveland School Board approved a 20 percent, $54,000 bonus for school CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett (pictured, left).

The bonus was approved in June, just days after the school board cut the positions of 52 assistant principals and 172 teachers.

Some school board members gave merit to Byrd-Bennett's salary and bonus, even though the bonus itself is more than what the average Cleveland teacher earns yearly.

"For so many years, there's been no progress in this city," said Louise Dempsey, a school board member. "We really value our CEO."

"The real question is, did she earn it?" said Richard Decolibus, president of the Cleveland Teacher Union. "We think, for the most part she's been a good CEO."

In a district letter, Byrd-Bennett is praised for the passage of Issue 4, which allowed mayoral control of the district. She's also recognized for a 40 percent increase in fourth-grade reading scores, a 20 percent increase for sixth-graders and increasing student attendance to 95 percent.

It was the second annual 20 percent bonus for Byrd-Bennett, who also got a 3 percent pay raise effective in July. Her base salary rose to $278,000 a year.

In comparison, Milwaukee's superintendent earns about $175,000 yearly. Detroit's CEO earns more than $200,000 a year, and although he didn't get a bonus, he accepted a $120,000 loan that he will keep if he stays five years.

Corporate records revealed that not all CEOs earn bonuses. Citigroup's CEO didn't get one last year; neither did Eli Lilly's top gun, who took only $1 in salary. Even college basketball coach Bobby Knight gave back his $250,000 salary.

Byrd-Bennett could give back her bonus, but she has been encouraged to keep it. The CEO said she was delighted to receive the bonus and pointed out the $54,000 would not have offset the district's budget problems.

"We value the work of Barbara Byrd-Bennett far more than this performance compensation can reflect," said board chairwoman Margaret Hopkins.

Mayor Jane Campbell, who signed off on the bonus, praised Byrd-Bennett's performance in bringing up test scores and attendance rates in the 72,700-student district.

"In this town we pay athletes millions of dollars," Campbell said. "What matters most is the education of our children. I want her paid as the most valuable player she is."