Earlier this week, a group of concerned parents addressed the Covington County Board of Education, arguing that the board’s salary supplements for coaches were not up to par.

Parents at the meeting said that Covington County was not in line with Crenshaw County Schools.

Privately, some said they believed the pay scale to be the reason Straugh High School’s head football coach, Trent Taylor, is leaving to coach in Andalusia.

The Star-News reviewed copies of supplement schedules from Covington County, Crenshaw County, Andalusia and Opp school systems.

Comparatively, athletic directors at each of the systems make the following:

• Covington County Schools: $400.08 for 1A; $600 for 2A; $800.04 for 3A; and $1,000 for 4A;

• Crenshaw County Schools: $1,627.50;

• Andalusia City Schools: $5,000; the assistant athletic director makes $2,500.

• Opp City Schools: $1,715

For head football coaches:

• Covington County Schools: $7,500;

• Crenshaw County Schools: $4,340, plus an additional bonus ranging from $2,000 to $6,000 based on longevity;

• Andalusia City Schools: $7,000;

• Opp City Schools: $9,975

A group of more than 50 parents at Tuesday night’s meeting urged the Covington County BOE to raise coaching salaries to competitive levels.

Board members, speaking privately, said that when the board adjusted its current supplement schedule two years ago, it studied supplement schedules of more than a dozen other school systems.

Former Covington County Schools Superintendent and current Crenshaw County Schools Superintendent Terry Holley confirmed this.

Covington County Schools Superintendent Shannon Driver said this week that the board will take a look at the issue, but said he couldn’t say whether they would increase the amount paid to coaches.

In winter sports, the head basketball coaches in all four systems make significantly less supplement-wise than football head coaches.

• Covington County: both girls and boys head coaches make $4,000.08; (head baseball and softball coaches make $3,000).

• Crenshaw County: both make $2,712.50 plus the longevity addition based on tenure ranging from $2,000 to $6,000; (head baseball and softball coaches make the same)

• Andalusia City Schools: both head coaches make $4,500; (head baseball and softball coaches make $3,000);

• Opp City Schools: both make $1,545. (Baseball and softball head coaches make the same).