Following a tense budget process, several closed-door personnel hearings about unspecified issues and speculation about her job, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill says she’s not going anywhere.
In response to an inquiry from WFAE about the status of the superintendent, CMS spokesman Tom Miner said Hill “has no intentions of resigning.”
This year’s budget process exposed friction between Hill and the CMS Board after the board voted down her budget recommendation in an 8-1 vote that appeared to surprise Hill. It led to a tense two weeks of special hearings — including two closed sessions to discuss “personnel matters” — where the board at times appeared frustrated with CMS staff.
After Hill made tweaks to the budget that addressed some key board concerns, the board unanimously approved the $2.1 billion spending package earlier this week with few fireworks. Board members appeared grateful for the changes and stood by their desire for a deeper dive into the proposal.
Hours after the late Tuesday night vote, the board called for an emergency meeting for the following morning at 7 a.m. to discuss personnel matters. That led to speculation that Hill’s job was in jeopardy or that she was resigning.
But after the vote on Tuesday, Board Chair Stephanie Sneed suggested the board still had confidence in Hill. And CMS’s statement to WFAE yesterday suggests Hill intends to stay put.
“Her focus remains steadfast on serving the students, staff, and community of CMS with unwavering dedication,” Miner said.
The tension that emerged in the budget process marked the most tumultuous stretch of Hill’s tenure as superintendent — a tenure that has generally featured a strong working relationship with the board, at least publicly.
At the start of this year, Hill and board members celebrated historic academic gains. Following an election that brought new board members, the board approved a raise and contract extension for Hill.
Hill is right around the three-year mark of her tenure as permanent superintendent — the board named her as superintendent May 2023 and her contract commenced that July after a period of time serving on an interim basis. But the three-year mark has proven to be a hurdle for CMS superintendents, as the district has seen significant turnover in the position in recent years.
The last CMS superintendent to serve more than three years was Peter Gorman, who was superintendent from 2006 to 2011.
