Boston School Committee votes to ratify superintendent contract

The Boston School Committee tonight unanimously ratified a contract with Dr. Tommy Chang to serve as the next Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools (BPS). The five-year contract will take effect July 1, 2015.    

“Ratifying this contract tonight means we are one step closer to opening a new chapter in the long history of the Boston Public Schools,” said Mayor Walsh. “Tommy Chang has the expertise and vision to move BPS to the next level, and I’m excited to see it happen.”

Under the terms of the contract, Dr. Chang will be paid $257,000 annually. Additionally, Dr. Chang will be eligible to receive annual performance increases, between 0 and 4%, based on his evaluation by the School Committee.   

While Dr. Chang will officially become Superintendent on July 1, 2015, he expects to be in Boston full-time starting in mid-April to work with Interim Superintendent John McDonough during a period of transition.   

Dr. Chang will receive a $500 per month car allowance in lieu of a city vehicle. Additionally, foundational support will be raised for the reimbursement of moving expenses, and a transition allowance of $2,500 per month for nine months.   

“As promised, Dr. Chang brought a humble approach and acknowledged that we are facing budget pressures in Boston right now,” said Michael O’Neill, Chairperson of the Boston School Committee. “We are pleased with the negotiations and outcome of this process.”  

“I’m honored to serve as the next Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools,” said Dr. Chang. “I’m eager to get on the ground here and to start listening and learning from the top-notch educators Boston has serving its students.”  

The contract ratified by the School Committee is consistent with the contract between the School Committee and former Boston Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Carol R. Johnson. Dr. Johnson's salary was at $267,500 at her departure.   

Dr. Chang’s salary is slightly below the average of $260,000 for comparable-sized urban school districts, according to the Council of the Great City Schools, the nation’s primary coalition of large urban public school systems.