Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools could enter 2027 without a superintendent, a chief financial officer or a chief operations officer, all three scheduled to retire Jan. 1, 2027.

Five of former Superintendent Crystal Hill's 10 cabinet members have left or announced plans to leave, the Charlotte Observer first reported Monday. Acting Superintendent Melissa Balknight, Chief Financial Officer Kelly Kluttz and Chief Operations Officer Tim Ivey are all set to depart Dec. 31. The board has created a superintendent search committee but set no timeline, and no public plan exists for replacing the CFO or COO.

For families at Ardrey Kell, Ballantyne Ridge, Community House and other Ballantyne-area schools, the turnover raises a basic question: who will run the 139,000-student district when the spring semester begins?

Board member Charlitta Hatch acknowledged the uncertainty in an interview with the Observer. "I think right now it is fair for us to be able to look at this kind of transition or inflection point that we are in the district, and to be uncomfortable with the uncertainty that we're experiencing," Hatch said.

Hatch said she had not spoken directly with Balknight about whether the acting superintendent's retirement date had changed.

Board Chair Gregory "Dee" Rankin and Vice Chair Liz Monterrey Duvall did not respond to the Observer's calls and texts seeking comment on Saturday, Oct. 3, according to the newspaper. The district told the Observer it had no public records related to any contract, agreement or change to Balknight's retirement date.

Balknight filed her retirement notice before the board fired Hill in a 5-4 vote on Sept. 22 and named Balknight acting superintendent. She told WBTV on Sept. 29 she was considering staying through a transition but would not seek the permanent job. "No, that is not my interest, that is not the work that I want to do," Balknight said.

Board member Lenora Shipp told the Observer the board had begun looking for an interim superintendent "to take over after Balknight leaves."

The board voted 6-2 on Sept. 29 to create a search committee for a permanent superintendent. The 2023 search that hired Hill took about four and a half months. A North Carolina School Boards Association attorney told the Observer that searches generally take about six months.

Beyond the top three, Chief of Staff Chastity Dolan's last day is Nov. 6. Former Chief of Staff Ingrid Medlock will return during the transition, the district said. Former Chief Human Resources Officer Angela Wood left over the summer; Alan Hooker is serving as interim. Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Tangela Williams also plans to retire Jan. 1, 2027.

The North Carolina State Auditor and the State Bureau of Investigation are conducting separate investigations into alleged financial irregularities within CMS, according to multiple published reports.

Hill herself flagged the exodus before her firing. In a September memo, she wrote that cabinet resignations "reflect a loss of confidence in the Board of Education," according to the Observer.

The board has not announced a date for its next meeting on the superintendent search.