The 20 highest-paid government employees in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
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For a transparent look at how your taxpayer dollars are spent, Axios is publishing the salaries of the top 20 highest-paid employees within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
Why it matters: The public school system tries to pay executives enough to keep them from leaving for the private sector, where they can often make more money.
By the numbers: A starting teacher in Mecklenburg County makes $48,637, including pay of $41,000 from the state and a local supplement of $7,637.
Flashback: Before Superintendent Crystal Hill, the district went through five leaders between 2011 and 2023. The district was thrown off trajectory and still struggles to make up ground on low testing scores and a lackluster graduation rate, especially compared to statewide averages.
1. Crystal Hill, Superintendent
Salary: $309,000
Job description: She leads the nation's 16th-largest school district with about 141,000 students.
- Hill is the first Black female to hold the position in CMS history.
- She started her career as a first-grade teacher in Guilford County Schools.
2. André Mayes, General Counsel
Salary: $289,430
3. Melissa Balknight, Deputy Superintendent
Salary: $241,262.09
4. Kelly Kluttz, Chief Financial Officer
Salary: $241,262.09
5. Hope Root, Deputy General Counsel
Salary: $241,020.00
6-12. Chief executives
Salaries: $218,110.25
- Nancy Brightwell: Chief Recruitment, Retention, and Talent Development Officer
- Kecia Coln: Human Resources Officer
- Tim Ivey: Chief Operations Officer
- Ingrid Medlock: Chief of Staff
- Candace Salmon-Hosey: Chief Technology Officer
- Shanna Spickard: Chief Communications Officer
- Anne Thompson: Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer
13-20. Associate Superintendents
Salaries: $212,002.26
- Elizabeth Curry: Teaching and Learning
- Derrick Jackson: Data and Governance
- Larry Johnson: Employee Relations
- Jill Payne: Student Services
- Nicole Portee: Operations
- Teresa Surbeck: Student Programs, Planning & Placement
- Angela Wood: Human Resources