NYC Principal Moonlighting as Rapper Draws $192K Salary for High School That Never Opened

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November 8, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time.

A New York City public school administrator who doubles as an independent hip-hop artist is collecting nearly $200,000 a year to serve as the principal of a high school that does not actually exist, municipal payroll audits and internal records show.

Caleb Haraguchi-Combs, previously an assistant principal, was selected by the Department of Education (DOE) in January 2026 to serve as project director and prospective founding principal of the Next Generation Technology High School, a proposed specialized campus in Lower Manhattan. The promotion came with a salary increase of roughly $50,000, bringing his annualized taxpayer-funded compensation to $192,374.

However, after community backlash and council reviews derailed the school plan, Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels officially shelved the project before a single brick was laid or a single student was enrolled. Months later, public salary rolls confirm that Haraguchi-Combs remains categorized at the elevated principal pay grade without an active campus, faculty, or student body to oversee.

An AI high school shelved before day one

The concept for the Next Generation Technology High School was originally pitched as a showcase institution for artificial intelligence, computer science, and tech entrepreneurship in the Financial District. Proponents envisioned cutting-edge labs funded in part through private sector partnerships.

Yet the initiative encountered fierce resistance from Manhattan’s Community District Education Councils and parent associations. Critics argued the administration rushed the approval process, failed to demonstrate local demand, and overemphasized commercial AI software vendors at the expense of traditional educational foundations.

As neighborhood opposition mounted, Chancellor Samuels formally pulled the plug on the opening schedule. But rather than returning Haraguchi-Combs to an assistant principal opening or assigning him to an understaffed school facility, the department maintained his elevated project director title and administrative salary.

Bureaucracy meets the recording booth

The unusual administrative limbo caught the attention of fiscal watchdogs and local outlets like the New York Post, in part because of Haraguchi-Combs’ active parallel career in music. Outside his DOE duties, the administrator writes, records, and releases hip-hop tracks across major streaming platforms.

Critics within the school system quickly drew comparisons to the city's notorious historical "rubber rooms"—reassignment centers where teachers and administrators collected full pay while awaiting disciplinary or placement decisions. Education reform groups questioned why an administrator was receiving principal-tier compensation while classrooms across the five boroughs face acute budget constraints and staffing shortages.

When city hall claims budgets are too tight for art and music teachers, but finds $192,000 a year for a principal whose school only exists on paper, taxpayers have every right to demand answers.

— NYC Public School Parents & Watchdogs (Civic commentary on X)

Department of Education defends assignment

In response to inquiries regarding the non-existent campus, DOE spokespersons asserted that Haraguchi-Combs is not idle, stating that he continues to perform administrative duties, including curriculum research and exploratory logistics for future career and technical education (CTE) programs.

Department officials also noted that collective bargaining rules established by the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) govern how administrative pay tiers and title reassignments are handled once contracts are formalized. For now, Haraguchi-Combs remains on the municipal payroll at $192,374 as educational leaders review how to redeploy project staff to operational schools.

NYC Department of Education Headquarters, Tweed Courthouse

The star marks the Tweed Courthouse at 52 Chambers Street in Lower Manhattan, administrative headquarters of the New York City Department of Education.

Map: OpenStreetMap contributors. Location: 52 Chambers St, New York, NY 10007.

Timeline of the tech high school project and payroll status

Chronology of the school proposal from executive launch to administrative controversy:

1. January 2026 DOE taps assistant principal Caleb Haraguchi-Combs as project director and prospective founding principal of Next Generation Technology High School, lifting his compensation to $192,374.
2. March–April 2026 Downtown Manhattan community councils express skepticism over rapid timeline and corporate AI partnership reliance.
3. June 2026 Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels officially cancels the opening of the school, citing community concerns and operational hurdles.
4. Summer–Fall 2026 Haraguchi-Combs continues receiving $192K salary while assigned to central planning division rather than an active school building.
5. November 2026 City payroll disclosures and media reporting reveal the continued executive expenditure, prompting calls for oversight hearings.

Sources and visual credits

New York Post · New York City Department of Education · Chalkbeat New York · Breitbart News · NYC Public Schools on X.

Hero and thumbnail: default Odd News section card. Map data: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Research note: Salary figures ($192,374) and job title classification ("Project Director / Principal") verified against NYC Department of Education open payroll databases and City of New York payroll records. Project cancellation dates confirmed through District 2 Community Education Council minutes and Chancellor communications.