Superintendent signs contract with 1st-year salary at about $216K
CULLMAN, Ala. —
A Central Alabama school superintendent’s new contract raises his first-year salary to $222,390 after a split board vote, following a divided 3-2 vote by the school board.
According to Cullman City Schools’ district attorney, Kyle Kallhoff’s contract extension includes a 5% salary increase in the first year, with possible 2.5% raises the following two years.
The new contract extends Kallhoff’s employment through June 30, 2030.
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The new agreement raises Kallhoff’s base annual salary from $211,800 to $222,390. It also provides $2,000 per month in fixed vehicle and expense allowances.
For comparison, the superintendent of Alabaster City Schools earns over $306,000 annually, the highest in the state, followed by the superintendent of Birmingham City Schools at $300,000.
Board members reportedly received the new contract at 11 a.m. on the day of the meeting, just hours before the vote. The board refused to provide a copy of the contract during the meeting, leaving questions about its details.
The district’s attorney explained the reasoning behind the raise.
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“There were no super changes that required a lot of debate or reading up on it or comparing to what other systems do. It was just the 5% increase in that. The basis for that was that’s what most of the principals that got a pay raise, they got 5%. So that was the basis for some of the logic in drafting the contract.”
The attorney also stated that all incentives in the contract remain unchanged from the previous agreement.
Kallhoff will receive 15 paid vacation days per contract year. It also says he may terminate the agreement for any reason with at least 60 days’ written notice.
The board may terminate the contract without cause with at least seven days’ written notice following approval at a public meeting. If the board does so, the contract requires the district to pay Kallhoff as severance all salary and benefits he would have received during the remainder of the agreement.
The agreement also provides a minimum annual salary increase of 2.5% for the following two years, or the percentage increase approved by the Alabama Legislature for certified education personnel, whichever is greater.
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