The Columbia School Board approved a 6% salary increase for Superintendent Jeff Klein on Monday.
The School Board voted unanimously to raise Klein’s annual base salary from $255,000 during the 2025-26 school year to $270,300 for the 2026-27 school year, according to board documents.
Klein was hired as superintendent in 2025 after serving as Columbia Public Schools’ chief academic officer.
Board members welcomed his salary increase and praised him for his success so far.
“Thank you for doing all the things you said you were going to do — and continuing to work on those things," board president John Lyman said.
Board member April Ferrao highlighted Klein’s empathy and strong engagement with both the community and staff.
“We’re lucky to have you with us,” Ferrao said. “I look forward to you being here for a while.”
Committee updates
The board also approved the creation of a Student Achievement Committee focused on student performance and academic outcomes.
Under the approved structure, board member Erica Dickson will chair the committee with Jeanne Snodgrass and John Lyman serving as members. The district’s chief equity and chief academic officers, as well as four community members, will join them.
“I’m really, really excited about this, really excited about the potential,” Dickson said.
In addition to the planned nine voting seats, district administration will appoint nonvoting members to the committee to share expertise.
Klein, who will serve as a nonvoting member, said he “fully expect(s) to have lots of experts on a regular basis.”
The now-established committee is not yet a permanent board committee, but it can be made so with board action.
“I would envision it being a standing committee, but I agree not codifying it as a standing committee now,” Ferrao said.
Lara Wakefield, a parent advocate who frequently addresses the board during public comment, urged the board to add a special education professional to the student achievement committee.
She said the proposed committee “lacks someone with expertise in the barriers faced by students with disabilities.”
She urged the district to monitor equity gaps among student groups and implement strategies to reduce barriers.
“Without intentional representation from someone knowledgeable about special education, these students are at risk once again of becoming an afterthought,” Wakefield said.
Recording policy tabled
The board tabled its discussion of a proposed policy that would allow it to forgo recording all open meetings.
A revision to the district’s board meeting policy, known as Policy BDA, states: “All open meetings of the school board and standing committees of the board will be recorded by the district unless a majority of the whole Board determines otherwise.”
Board meetings could also go unrecorded if “recording equipment is not available or recording would violate copyright law,” according to the proposed policy.
“I think the last time we had it, it was a different language than this,” board member Suzette Waters said. “I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the logistics and some specific instances.”
Board member Paul Harper said he had no problem “if we need to sit on this one.”
The board will discuss the policy further at next month’s board meeting.
Board member Alvin Cobbins was not present for Monday’s meeting.
