CMS board made math error in claim about how little Hill investigation cost
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board spent $379,000 investigating Superintendent Crystal Hill. But in a report explaining the expense to taxpayers, the board understated its share of the district’s budget by roughly 100 times.
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The error was emphasized during Tuesday’s school board meeting, when members publicly reviewed the investigation report after voting to release it. As board member Charlitta Hatch read from the report, which was displayed for the public, she initially said the investigation represented approximately 0.02% of CMS’s $2.1 billion annual budget.
But fellow board member Liz Monterey Duvall noticed the discrepancy between what Hatch said and what appeared on the screen.
“Can you repeat the percentage? Because I think there’s a difference between .02 and .0002%,” Monterey Duvall asked.
Hatch then repeated the figure written in the official report: 0.0002%.
The correct figure is 0.018%, or 0.02% when rounded. The report appears to have confused a decimal with a percentage, failing to multiply the figure by 100.
The mistake comes amid a turbulent three months for the district’s leadership. The board placed Hill on paid leave in June, reinstated her in August after an investigation found no evidence of improper conduct by her, then unexpectedly voted 5-4 Tuesday to fire her. The decision came the same night Stephanie Sneed stepped down as board chair.
The investigation alone has already cost approximately $379,000, with a final invoice from the outside law firm still outstanding. The board’s decision to fire Hill for convenience also requires CMS to pay her $340,700, the equivalent of one year’s base salary.
Together, those expenses amount to nearly $720,000, before accounting for Hill’s compensation during her nearly two months on paid leave, medical insurance reimbursement and any additional costs associated with her departure.
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The school board hired law firm Brooks Pierce in May to investigate concerns involving Hill’s oversight of the district. She was placed on paid leave June 17 and returned to work Aug. 11.
According to the report released Tuesday, investigators conducted 86 interviews and pulled more than 1.5 million documents and emails. They found no evidence of improper conduct by Hill but identified opportunities to improve certain personnel practices and workplace culture.
The investigation was paid for through CMS’s general fund, specifically the school board’s budget for legal personnel and expenses, according to the report. The district said it did not use state funds or local money appropriated for teachers, textbooks or classroom supplies to cover the cost.
Hill’s contract originally provided three months of base salary if the board terminated her without invoking its separate process for firing her for cause. Board members increased that protection to nine months in 2024, adding reimbursement for medical insurance coverage for Hill and her eligible dependents.
In December 2025, the board extended the severance period to 12 months and increased Hill’s annual base salary to $340,770. Under those terms, CMS owes Hill $340,770 in severance, plus medical insurance reimbursement. She is also entitled to any earned but unpaid salary and vested retirement benefits.
The Observer has asked CMS to confirm the final investigation cost and Hill’s total compensation following her termination, including any additional payments or benefits.
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This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 4:13 PM.
