MIDDLETOWN — The Middletown Board of Education has approved a separation agreement with Superintendent Steve Price.

The board voted 4-0 on the agreement at a special 7:30 a.m meeting today, June 4.

Board President Greg Tyus, who was part of the same school board that hired Price, was absent from the meeting because he is out of town.

Price, 54, offered his resignation at the meeting as part of the agreement. He declined comment following the board vote.

Price’s last day with the district will be July 31. He has been with Middletown schools since 2001.

Board members did not name an interim superintendent or give any information on plans for a candidate search, but said they would discuss it at the next regularly scheduled board meeting on June 15.

Board Vice President Katie McNeil said differences of opinion on policy led to the separation. Price, who made $125,634.07 in 2008, leaves the district with two years remaining on his contract.

“The board and Dr. Price mutually agree that it is beneficial for both parties to separate their employment relationship at this time,” McNeil said, reading from a prepared statement. “The district will pay Dr. Price for a portion of his accrued and unused sick leave and all accrued and unused vacation days.”

McNeil said the district would also make monthly payments to Price in lieu of base pay and health insurance until he finds another position.

“But in no event for more than one year,” she said.

When the board hired Price seven year’s ago the board of education directed him to focus on three priorities, McNeil said. Those were raising the achievement levels of all students in the district, addressing the issue of diversity and addressing the district’s facility needs.

“The board appreciates Dr. Price’s years of dedication and service to the district, and the Middletown community, and wishes him success as he moves on to new challenges,” McNeil said.

Price began his career in Middletown with a pledge to make the local school district the first urban school district in Ohio to achieve an excellent rating on the state report card. Though he never achieved that goal, Price did enjoy some other successes.

He got three consecutive three tax measure passed each on the first ballot, including a bond levy that had failed two times prior to his arrival.

Price also successfully oversaw the building of six new elementary school buildings and the renovation of two others.

But the superintendent had come under scrutiny in recent months for discipline problems in schools throughout the district and a race and equity program he’d implemented that encouraged the district’s teaching staff to have “courageous conversations” about race. Price saw value in the program as a way to improve teacher-student relations in his diverse urban district and narrow the achievement gap between whites and other minority groups.

But the program drew criticism recently by some in the community and the district, despite contentions from Price and other school officials that it was producing results. Critics questioned the value and cost of program and whether the district should focus its efforts elsewhere.

In recent months, Price has applied for positions with two urban Ohio school districts, Cincinnati and Springfield, but was not selected. He has also applied with Beavercreek City Schools.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or mengle@coxohio.com.