CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Iranetta Wright, who is resigning, will be paid through the end of her contract, according to the settlement agreement the Board of Education accepted Monday night.
Last week, Board President Eve Bolton announced at a special meeting that Wright is stepping down.
According to the settlement agreement between Wright and the Cincinnati Board of Education, Wright's resignation effective Monday, May 20.
Wright will continue to receive her current salary on its regular payroll schedule through the end of her contract on July 31, 2025. She will also be paid out any unused vacation through May 20, and she's eligible for board-sponsored health, dental and vision insurance through the end of the contract, as well.
According to Wright's contract, she makes an annual salary of $260,000.
With roughly 15 months left in her contract, Wright is expected to make just under $325,000 after her resignation, not including any paid out vacation.
The news of Wright's resignation came just days after all six unions within CPS gave Wright a vote of no confidence.
Members of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, Cincinnati Federation of Office Professionals, Cincinnati Association of Administrators and Supervisors, American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Greater Cincinnati Building Trades and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 20 all expressed that they had lost support in Wright — something that has never happened in the history of the district.
Union leaders expressed frustrations with Wright's lack of communication and collaboration, and said the superintendent had "dismissed" their concerns without truly hearing them.
Board member Ben Lindy called Wright's resignation a "terrible, terrible mistake" in a prepared statement Wednesday. He moved to not accept the resignation until the board can talk about it as there is no plan for an interim at this time, but the board voted 5-2 to accept the resignation.
"The board has a responsibility to be adults during the middle of a budget crisis, and have a better plan or a leadership change than what we saw tonight," Lindy said after his motion failed.
Lindy said he was surprised Wright didn't attend the meeting and had significant concerns about the district's ability to pivot into new leadership.
"I just want to be really clear, there is no plan for who the interim is going to be," Lindy said.
Bolton said there was an infrastructure in place to replace Wright quickly.
"We have a number of folks ready to go," she said.
The board president said 20 people within the district were already licensed to be an interim superintendent and two were on a sort of short list to be named as the new leader even if for a brief period. She did not name any people she had in mind.
