What Crystal Hill’s contract says about severance, retirement and leaving CMS
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill could receive up to a year’s salary if the school board ultimately removes her without cause, according to the terms of her contract.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education placed Hill on paid leave Wednesday pending an investigation into what it described as matters involving “administrative and operational oversight.” Board Chair Stephanie Sneed told The Charlotte Observer the results of the investigation will determine what happens to Hill’s employment status. However, the start of an investigation doesn’t necessarily mean the end result will be firing, she said.
Here’s what Hill’s contract says about severance, retirement and the different ways her employment could end.
What does her contract say about paid leave?
The contract specifically allows the board to place Hill on temporary paid leave without terminating her employment.
The provision states the board may place the superintendent on paid leave, reassign duties or appoint others to act jointly with the superintendent in exceptional circumstances, including when the superintendent “is being investigated for alleged inappropriate conduct.”
That provision appears to be the authority the board relied on Wednesday when it announced Hill had been placed on paid leave pending an investigation. For now, Hill remains employed by CMS, continues receiving pay and benefits, and is under contract through June 2029 while the board’s investigation proceeds.
Hill got a pay raise in December
Hill’s original superintendent contract, approved in 2023, was set to expire June 30, 2027.
The school board extended the agreement by one year in 2024 and again in 2025, pushing the expiration date to June 30, 2029.
The board also approved salary increases with each amendment. Hill’s current base salary is $340,770 annually, up from the $300,000 salary included in her original contract. Personnel records obtained by The Charlotte Observer show her total annual compensation including salary and benefits is $405,691.69.
In comparison, the President of the United States makes $400,000 a year, Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones makes $499,210, and Mecklenburg County Manager Mike Bryant makes $420,000.
How much severance could Hill receive?
The answer depends largely on how her employment ends.
Under the original contract, the board could terminate Hill “for convenience,” essentially without alleging misconduct, and would owe her three months of salary as severance.
But the board later expanded those protections.
In 2024, board members amended the contract to increase severance from three months to nine months of salary and added reimbursement for medical insurance coverage for Hill and her eligible dependents. A year later, the board increased the severance period again, extending it from nine months to 12 months.
If those provisions remain in effect and Hill is terminated for convenience, CMS could owe her up to $340,770 in severance pay, the equivalent of one year of her current base salary.
What if the board fires her for cause?
The contract contains a separate process for terminating Hill for cause.
Among the grounds listed are fraud, embezzlement, theft, misappropriation of district resources, breach of fiduciary duty, neglect of duties, criminal convictions, violations of law, policy violations, dishonesty, insubordination and failure to perform contractual obligations.
If the board seeks a termination for cause, Hill would be entitled to notice of the allegations and an opportunity to request a hearing before the board. Following that process, the board could vote to terminate her for cause, terminate her without cause, or allow her to remain employed.
In addition to any severance or other payments, Hill would be eligible for any earned but unpaid salary if her employment ends for any reason, for example, if she works part of a month before her monthly check comes.
She is also entitled to vested retirement or deferred compensation benefits and reimbursement for approved business expenses incurred before her departure. She would also retain the right to continue health insurance coverage under federal COBRA rules.
Could Hill retire instead?
Another possible path is retirement.
Personnel records released by CMS show Hill is 49 years old. Under North Carolina’s Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System, employees may qualify for early retirement benefits beginning at age 50 if they have accumulated at least 20 years of creditable service, though those benefits are reduced compared with full retirement benefits.
The contract specifically treats retirement as a form of resignation. Under the agreement, Hill would be required to provide at least 60 days written notice before resigning, though the board could accept an earlier departure date.
Unlike a termination for convenience, the contract does not automatically provide severance pay in the event of a resignation or retirement.
This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 2:49 PM.
