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Education News
MPR News Staff
Minneapolis

New Minneapolis schools superintendent gets pay bump over predecessors

Tables in a classroom
The Minneapolis district school board on Tuesday is expected to approve a deal for new superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams that will keep her as head of schools through mid-2026.
Christine T. Nguyen | MPR News

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Lisa Sayles-Adams, the incoming superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools will start in early February and earn $107,423 through June, then $266,000, $271,000 and $276,000 in each of the next three school years under the contract the board is expected to OK on Tuesday night.

A professional portrait of a woman.
Lisa Sayles-Adams.
Courtesy of Minneapolis Public Schools

Sayles-Adams, 54, currently serves as superintendent of Eastern Carver County Schools in the western Twin Cities and has been a longtime player in Twin Cities education.

She told interviewers during recent interviews and meet-and-greets for the Minneapolis job that she would focus on improving the district’s culture, safety and academic outcomes as well as addressing the achievement gap.

She acknowledged concerns over the district’s enrollment decline over the prior decade and the challenges it’s created around funding the city’s schools.

Sayles-Adams will replace Ed Graff, who after a contentious, three-week teachers strike last year said he would not renew his contract. Rochelle Cox has been serving as interim superintendent last year. 

Cox and former Superintendent Ed Graff each made $230,000 a year. Cox’s monthly vehicle allowance was $450. Sayles-Adams’ contract puts her car allowance at $600 per month.

Separately at Tuesday night’s meeting, the school board is also set to rename Patrick Henry High to Camden High for the name of the neighborhood where it’s located.

Patrick Henry High was named after the 18th century American Founding Father who famously proclaimed “Give me liberty, or give me death!” even as he enslaved others. He and other early American historical figures have drawn increased scrutiny and criticism for their connections to slavery.