The Columbus Board of Education has voted to lock in Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman for the long haul, approving a new three-year contract that stretches her tenure through July 31, 2029. Her base salary stays put at $265,000 as the district steers through deep budget cuts and staffing reductions, with the deal spelling out performance reviews and job-related perks tied to district business.
What the contract includes
The newly signed agreement begins Aug. 1, 2026 and runs through July 31, 2029, setting Chapman’s annual pay at $265,000 effective July 1, 2026, according to the contract document posted by ABC 6. The contract provides technology for district business, including a mobile phone, laptop and printer, and it spells out 35 vacation days per year along with three paid personal days.
Chapman is also authorized to hold up to four professional memberships and two civic memberships. The agreement requires the Board to review the superintendent’s salary every year after her evaluation, keeping pay decisions formally tied to performance.
Budget pressure frames the vote
The extension lands as Columbus City Schools works to plug a roughly $109 million projected deficit next school year and follow through on earlier cost-cutting moves, which have already included eliminating dozens of administrative jobs. As reported by WOSU, board members have framed those personnel cuts as part of a broader push to narrow the gap.
At the same time, local coverage has tracked school closures and program reductions as part of the district’s savings playbook (school closures and staff cuts). Against that backdrop, locking in the superintendent sets the stage for continuity at the top while the numbers only get tighter.
Board oversight and next steps
New Board President Dr. Antoinette Miranda has signaled she wants a more data-driven, deadline-focused approach from district leadership. In an interview with ABC 6, Miranda emphasized that the board intends to closely monitor outcomes and hold the administration accountable for academic progress and financial planning.
In that same coverage, Treasurer Ryan Cook warned that, under current projections, the district could run out of cash by fiscal year 2030 if the financial trajectory does not change. That ticking clock adds extra weight to each contract decision and budget vote the board takes.
Chapman’s track record and what’s next
Chapman moved from interim to permanent superintendent when the board approved her initial three-year contract in 2023, according to the district’s announcement on the Columbus City Schools site. Her new agreement keeps that trajectory going and signals that the board expects steady leadership through a rough financial patch.
With the extension in place, the board will look to Chapman to keep rolling out cost-saving plans and to report back regularly on how those measures are helping close the budget shortfall, all while trying to keep classroom priorities intact.
