Fresno Unified's superintendent making headlines as highest paid superintendent in Sac. and Central Valley region

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Transparent California is naming Fresno Unified's Michael Hanson as the highest paid K-12 employee in the greater Sacramento and Central Valley regions.

Hanson's pay package from 2015 tops out at $369,992. When you factor in his base salary of $305,000, plus $40,000 in benefits and $24,000 in other pay.

"I'm glad Transparent California does their work. I think it's important that people see that. I mean I think people, if they pause and think about it, we are the largest employer in the Valley," said Hanson.

Hanson said he is not surprised by the numbers, saying Fresno Unified has nearly the twice the number of students as some of the other districts. Which include Sacramento City Unified and Elk Grove School District.

"I think longevity matters too. I think over time there have been some significant adjustments to my contract from the time I got here in '05 when I started at a base salary of $205,000."

Hanson said his progress with the district also counts. Something he is hoping will earn him a vote of approval for a positive evaluation on Wednesday.

Fresno Teachers Association President Tish Rice said they hope the board votes no.

"A lot of our members are unhappy with our current conditions that I believe the superintendent has created in this district."

Rice said a survey of 1,300 teachers in the district showed 74-percent were not confident with Hanson's leadership. Many also feel they don't have the right tools for their classrooms and are under strict rule by administrators as to how they teach.

"72-percent of our 3rd graders that are not reading at grade level, we have only three-percent of our graduating seniors that are college ready. So these should be issues that our school board is holding the superintendent accountable for."

Hanson disagrees, touting a record 84-percent graduation rate among other successes.

"We've got 50 plus metrics that are part of my evaluation and the vast majority of those are moving in the right direction."

Fresno Unified trustees will vote on Hanson's evaluation on Wednesday evening.