Learning community superintendents at four Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools are expected to see an average salary increase of about $15,000 next year in their adjusted roles, according to an analysis by the Charlotte Observer.
The CMS Board last week approved 11 new executive contracts totaling approximately $2.05 million annually. These include four learning community leaders who will move into new roles and six other internal and external hires from Superintendent Crystal Hill who will move into positions created in Superintendent Crystal Hill's new management structure. .
All assistant superintendents earn an annual salary of $184,383. The final hire will be Larry Johnson, assistant superintendent of employee relations, who will earn an annual salary of $205,827.
Currently, the district's 184 campuses are divided geographically under nine “learning community administrators.” Of those, he will return as one of his 10 new assistant superintendents in a redraw model that divides superintendents by grade level rather than region.
The 10 new assistant superintendents and their previous salaries at CMS (if applicable) include:
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Laura Rosenbach currently serves as Director of Central Learning Communities and earns $168,265.
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Stephen Esposito currently serves as the superintendent of CMS' Northeast Learning Community and earns $170,543.
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Tangela Williams currently serves as the Director of North Learning Communities at CMS and earns $170,543.
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Kim Schroeder currently serves as Superintendent of Southeast Learning Community and earns $168,265.
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Tonya Williams is currently the Executive Director of West Learning Community and earns $140,417.
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Jennifer Dean is currently the Executive Director of North Learning Community and earns $163,171.
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Jacqueline Jones currently serves as Director of School Instruction for Cincinnati Public Schools.
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Kimberly Vaught currently serves as Executive Director of Leadership Development for CMS and earns $125,840.
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Felicia Renee McKinnon, currently Executive Director of School Performance for Union County Schools
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Barry Richburg currently serves as the Chief School Instruction Officer for Fayette County Schools in Lexington, Kentucky.
Several learning community superintendents will not be joining the new team, but CMS has not announced whether they will leave the district or take on new roles within CMS. They include Acquanetta Edmond, Raymond Burns, Curtis Carroll, Nicolette Grant, and Trish Sexton.
Hill became CMS' permanent superintendent in May, 13 months after the district's previous superintendent, Ernest Winston, was fired. Mr. Hugh Hattabaugh served as interim superintendent until Mr. Hill took over as interim superintendent on January 1, 2023. Prior to that, Hill left his position as chief academic officer for Cabarrus County Schools, where he worked as the district's chief of staff.
Hill remains the highest-paid of the district's more than 18,000 employees, with an annual salary of $300,000.
CMS teacher, principal salary
The base salary for beginning teachers in the state is currently $39,000. The average CMS teacher will make about $60,000 this year.
The average CMS principal earns $98,000, but six principals earn more than $177,000.
