With $700,000 to spend, NC superintendent begins hiring new staff for his office

He recently received budget approval from the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management to create three positions, and more are expected later. According to OSBM, the three positions and budgeted amounts approved for the salaries (excluding benefits) are:

The superintendent's office later asked OSBM to make a correction to the budget. Instead of paying the associate superintendent of early education from Johnson's $700,000 fund, that position will be paid from the $250,000 lawmakers set aside for early childhood education.

Johnson has hired one of the positions he has requested. Isaac Ridgeway, a recent graduate of North Carolina State University, was hired earlier this month as the superintendent's administrative assistant. His official title is research assistant and project coordinator, according to a spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Johnson also plans to hire a communications specialist who will work directly for him. DPI recently hired a new communications director, Drew Elliot, but he serves both the superintendent and state board. In a phone interview Thursday, Elliot said the superintendent wants his own communications specialist because he has a "renewed focus on communication."

Johnson has previously said he also plans to hire a chief of staff and a chief innovation officer, but it's unclear when he will make those hires. He has declined to say what other positions he may create.

"He doesn't know what flexibility he will have to change the existing positions at DPI," Elliot said.

Lawmakers stepped in to help Johnson and included $700,000 in the state budget for him to hire his own staff. They also provided him with $300,000 for his legal expenses while barring the state board from using taxpayer money to fund its lawsuit.