CHARLOTTE — North Carolina State Board of Education Chair Eric Davis and North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green announced on Thursday that they are coordinating with the State Auditor’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate alleged financial irregularities within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
The joint investigation follows questions surrounding district spending and board actions over the past 10 months. Davis and Green stated their main focus during the review is “ensuring continuity of educational services for students.”
Channel 9 has been reporting on the investigation since former Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill revealed a 200-page memo that questioned certain contracts being issued by the CMS school board chair.
State Auditor Dave Boliek confirmed last month state authorities were already reviewing district spending prior to receiving administrative complaints. Boliek said his office was already investigating financial irregularities for three weeks before Dr. Crystal Hill’s memo about contracts she says were issued by former Chair Stephanie Sneed without the Board’s knowledge.
The state probe follows a series of board decisions regarding Hill over the past 10 months. In December 2025, the school board voted to extend Hill’s contract by one year, increase her pay by more than $22,000 and add three months of severance pay if terminated for convenience.
Six months after extending the contract, the board voted to place Hill on paid leave. A district investigation into the matter cost more than $379,000 before the board voted 5-4 in closed session to reinstate Hill in August.
Hill was fired for convenience last month. Search efforts for a new district superintendent are currently in the beginning stages.
State leadership warned that enforcement actions will follow if the audit uncovers statutory infractions.
“If the facts establish violations of state fiscal requirements, the State Board will take whatever actions are authorized and necessary to protect public funds and uphold public confidence in North Carolina’s public schools,” Davis and Green said in Tuesday’s joint statement.
CMS has said it’s cooperating with the state auditor’s office and the State Bureau of Investigation.
The state BOE and DPI didn’t specify if they were conducting their own investigations, but said the “financial irregularities ... are serious and warrant careful review.”
Full statement:
The allegations that have been raised regarding alleged financial irregularities within transactions involving Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (“CMS”) are serious and warrant careful review. The State Board of Education has both a constitutional responsibility and a statutory obligation under G.S. 115C-451 to ensure that public education funds are managed lawfully and responsibly. We expect full cooperation from local officials as this review proceeds. If the facts establish violations of state fiscal requirements, the State Board will take whatever actions are authorized and necessary to protect public funds and uphold public confidence in North Carolina’s public schools.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (“DPI”) and the State Board will coordinate and cooperate with authorized state and local agencies conducting reviews or investigations related to these matters and will provide information and assistance as permitted by law and consistent with their respective authorities.
We also recognize that recent changes in CMS leadership may create challenges for the district and its school communities. While appropriate accountability and oversight remain essential, our foremost concern is ensuring continuity of educational services for students. DPI and the State Board stand ready to provide technical assistance, guidance, and support within the scope of their statutory responsibilities as district leaders work through this transition. To that end, the Superintendent and the State Board will engage with CMS leadership to discuss and determine appropriate next steps.
Our shared goal is to ensure that any concerns are addressed thoroughly and transparently, that public confidence is maintained, and that students, educators, and families continue to be served effectively throughout this challenging period.
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