DPS Superintendent Resigns, Board Says CFO Knew About Potential Pay Problems For Nearly A Year
According to Durham Public Schools Board Chairwoman Bettina Umstead, Superintendent Pascal Mubenga submitted his resignation to the school board Wednesday night (Feb. 7) during a closed special meeting with the School Board.
Statement from Bettina Umstead, Chair of the Durham Public Schools Board of Education
First, I must announce the resignation of Superintendent Pascal Mubenga. Dr. Mubenga joined Durham Public Schools seven years ago and has led the school system through challenging times. He leaves a legacy of academic growth and a firm commitment to equity. Deputy Superintendent Dr. Nicholas King has been assigned the duties of superintendent until an interim is named.
The Durham Public Schools Board of Education requested an internal review of the issues surrounding the timeline and implementation of changes to the salary schedule for approximately 2,000 classified employees. This review was completed by the Tharrington Smith law firm.
This thorough review shines a light on several concerning issues surrounding the implementation of the pay raises. This includes:
(1) There was a lack of clarity and a failure of communication from the finance officer about the true cost of the proposed changes to the salary schedule. The finance officer knew in February 2023 that the cost of the pay raises could rise from $10 million to $20 million based on how years of service are calculated. That variability was never communicated to the School Board, and budget proposals consistently showed the cost as approximately $10 million.
(2) Superintendent Pascal Mubenga first became aware of a problem on November 8 and engaged the HIL Consultants to look into the matter. The full Board was informed on January 11, two months later.
As a result, this situation has created unnecessary disruptions for our staff and students.
When we first initiated these changes to our salary schedule, our goal was clear — to increase pay for our classified employees. We remain committed to achieving that goal and continue working diligently to provide all classified employees with clarity and certainty around their pay moving forward.
As a Board of Education, everything we do should be focused on our students and how we can best support them. That requires our schools to be open. We have scheduled a meeting with the Durham Association of Educators and look forward to working together to ensure that our schools remain great places to learn.