Norman Public Schools Superintendent Nick Migliorino told OU Daily he will remain neutral despite tensions among school board members and said blaming his contract is a “distraction technique.”
“There is no secret; there’s differences of opinion,” Migliorino said after Monday’s school board meeting. “Regretfully, there’s a lot of deflection onto me.”
Migliorino’s total compensation was $412,524 in the 2025-26 fiscal year, which is the highest in the state according to state data from March.
Migliorino said his contract is being brought up to distract from the district’s successes.
“My job is to focus on the students and our teachers and our team here to provide the best education we possibly can for everyone in this district,” Migliorino said.
Migliorino’s contract was renewed through 2029 in a 3-2 vote in February. At April’s meeting, tensions over president and vice president elections mirrored the same split on the board, and board members told the Daily after the meeting that it boiled down to disagreement over Migliorino’s contract.
Viewing the $412,524 total out of context leads to unfair comparisons, Migliorino wrote in a statement to the Daily Wednesday. He believes it’s key to recognize the work that has been done during his tenure, he wrote.
“It should not be about my contract or any other contract,” Migliorino said Monday. “I just feel like … I'm just being brought into the mix of what is happening with some dysfunction in our leadership body.”
Migliorino wrote in the statement that he is grateful for his salary and has never asked for a raise, though raises have been given to him. He wrote that his total compensation includes retirement, family insurance and other benefits.
Migliorino wrote that he has not had conversations with board members about their concerns about his compensation or contract length, but he is open to them.
“I believe those conversations are best had openly and directly rather than through public commentary or indirect channels,” he wrote.
Migliorino said Monday all board members besides the newest, Tori Collier, helped write the contract and have previously approved it. Board members Annette Price and Alex Ruggiers voted against the contract both in February and last year. In previous years, the board unanimously approved Migliorino’s contract, which included Ruggiers in 2023 and 2024.
Migliorino said he will remain neutral in his working relationship with the board, and he does not want to fuel division. He wrote in the statement that disagreements are expected and board members are free to express their views, but he will not get involved.
“Have faith in the process, have faith in our district,” Migliorino said. “This district is bigger than any one individual, and there are so many great things happening in every classroom across this district, serving our students in every building, with the leadership there, serving our teachers and from across this board and cabinet.”
This story was edited by Natalie Armour. Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
