Overview

• The board approved a 5-2 vote to buy out Jeff Collum’s contract for $461,000, with payments due by January 10, 2026
• Severance terms include non-disparagement provisions and bar Collum from future roles within Conway Public Schools
• Deputy Superintendent Jason Black was named interim leader in a unanimous vote to oversee operations during the transition
• The decision came less than a day before Collum’s contract would have automatically extended through June 2028 following concerns over teacher morale, district spending and divisive book and restroom policies
• Executive and emergency sessions held while Collum was on a preplanned family vacation set the stage for the transition and addressed longstanding transparency issues