Almost three weeks after Superintendent Peter Gorman's resignation, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board on Tuesday bid him goodbye and named Chief Operating Officer Hugh Hattabaugh as interim leader.

Board members approved a separation agreement that effectively made the meeting Gorman's last as superintendent, ending a five-year reign marked by rising test scores, budget cuts and aggressive reforms that sparked outcry from teachers.

Board members praised Gorman for increasing student achievement and managing a diverse, 135,000-student school system full of competing constituencies, even at the cost of increasingly personal criticisms leveled at him.

"If there's one word to describe Pete, it's a leader," board chair Eric Davis said. "I think he's raised the standard in what our community expects as a superintendent, and we'll certainly try to uphold that standard as we look for the next superintendent."

The board passed the reins - at least for the next year - to Hattabaugh, whom Davis described as a steady, dependable executive who will shepherd the district through the transition period.

"It's an honor to serve Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools during this important transition period," Hattabaugh said in a prepared statement.

Hattabaugh will not be a candidate for the top post, Davis said. His pay will rise from about $176,000 to $190,000 during his term as interim superintendent. He also is eligible for a lump sum payment of $35,000 when his interim role ends.

Gorman's last day as superintendent will be Thursday. Hattabaugh takes over as interim superintendent on July 1.

However, Gorman will remain on the CMS payroll until Aug. 1 - two weeks less than what he initially proposed when he announced his resignation, but long enough to allow him to become fully vested in the state retirement system.

By staying through June 30, he qualifies for an additional $35,000 in supplemental retirement pay. He also will receive a lump sum payment for accumulated leave days. He had about $29,000 worth around the time he resigned, but Davis said Gorman has used some since then.

Gorman will not receive an annual performance bonus, although his contract entitled him to seek one of up to 10 percent of his salary, or $26,715.

Kaye McGarry moved to end Gorman's time with CMS on July 15, but no one seconded her motion.

Gorman's separation agreement says after Thursday, he is to help Hattabaugh and the board with the transition. The agreement says he must prepare a written exit report that includes evaluations of his direct subordinates and his suggestions for ongoing reforms.

Among those reforms specifically listed are his controversial performance-pay effort that has stirred anger among teachers, and his strategic staffing plan that places high-achieving staff at low-performing schools.

Davis said Hattabaugh asked for Gorman's help with the transition.

The school board chair said Hattabaugh will be expected to keep the school system running smoothly until Gorman's replacement can be found.

His contract runs through July 1, 2012.

"We're going to move as quickly and as thoughtfully as we can," Davis said. "We're not going to take a year if we don't need a year, but it's important for Mr. Hattabaugh to be fully vested with the authority to run the district for a full year if need be."

Hattabaugh joined CMS in July 2007 as an area superintendent leading schools in the northern part of the county. He came from the Little Rock, Ark., school system, where he served as deputy superintendent. He applied unsuccessfully earlier this year for Little Rock's top job.

Before Little Rock, he'd been a high school principal in Florida.

Board members praised Gorman's five-year tenure and wished him well in his new job as an executive with Rupert Murdock's News Corp. They applauded him for sticking to his goal of raising student achievement, even when it put him at odds with teachers.

Trent Merchant recalled that Gorman came to CMS at a time when many on the board were still arguing over student assignment and racial equity issues.

He noted that today, the percentage of schools classified academically as "high growth" campuses by the state has risen from 54 percent to more than 90 percent.

Gorman accepted their praise, but didn't speak from the dais himself. He exited a side door after the meeting, wishing pursuing reporters well but deflecting their requests for a statement.