The Jersey City Independent "

Editor’s Note: Despite not responding to our requests for comment on the superintendent’s vacation(s), a spokesperson for the school district disputed the allegations made by our sources after this piece was published, telling the Jersey Journal that Epps has, for the most part, “been in the district” working this summer. However, the district has not yet provided either the Journal or JCI a list of vacation days taken by Epps, and it remains unclear just how often the superintendent has been in town working. In addition, the central premise of our story — that Epps and district leaders have been unavailable to work with school board members on the crucial task of re-hiring laid-off teachers — remains unchanged, and we stand by our reporting.

As the Jersey City school district prepares to welcome thousands of teachers and students back for another year, questions remain over exactly how many of the approximately 290 jobs earmarked for elimination can be restored before the year begins. Yet sources say one key figure has been noticeably absent and will remain so until right before the year begins: schools superintendent Charles Epps.

Epps started his vacation shortly after the school board’s June 30 year-end meeting, according to Board of Education (BOE) president Sterling Waterman. Initially, Waterman says, Epps informed him that he’d return August 1, at which point he could have begun finalizing some sort of plan for restoring the positions – mostly teaching jobs – that were initially feared to be lost for the year.

But now, Epps’ office tells JCI the district leader will not return until August 22 – less than two weeks before students start the new year in the state’s second-largest school system.

The short timetable between Epps’ expected return and the district’s opening has fueled uncertainty over just how classrooms will be adequately staffed to 2010-11 levels when the doors open.

Epps is being counted on to produce adequate staffing levels, given positive news on the revenue front that gives him far more wiggle room to restore positions than originally anticipated – and that fact only adds to the frustration felt by Waterman and others over Epps’ absence.

This May, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a 3 to 2 opinion mandating the state’s 31 former Abbott districts cumulatively receive $446.9 million in additional funding to meet the state’s constitutional mandate for a “thorough and efficient” education.

The ruling upped Jersey City’s Fiscal Year 2012 state aid take by $21.1 million, to $417,859,149, says Justin Barra, the state Department of Education’s director of communications and strategic planning.

He notes that Gov. Chris Christie had already earmarked a $5.7 million district increase before the ruling, producing a total hike of $26.8 million.

In a separate but related matter, Jersey City Education Association (JCEA) president Thomas Favia advised the board in April — before the court ruling — that it could immediately restore the vast majority of pink-slipped teaching slots (about 55 of the targeted jobs are non-instructional) by using about $15 million in savings derived from 140 teacher retirements to pay the lower salaries of those targeted for layoffs.

“You’re talking generally about younger or newer teachers who would make much less than the senior retirees had been earning,” explains Favia, insisting that far more than half of the layoffs could be reinstated through proper planning. “I know the younger teachers are really committed to remaining here in Jersey City. Unfortunately, time is running out for them.”

But as Waterman points out, without leadership from the superintendent, there isn’t much he and the board can do. Earlier this summer, he told JCI he anticipated having specific numbers on restored positions around August 5, following his anticipated discussions with Epps, and invited us to call back at that time. But thus far, those discussions have not occurred, providing plenty of frustration for Waterman.

“I believe that, as the board president, Dr. Epps has an obligation to directly call and inform me of his summer schedule,” Waterman says. “But, given the changes, which I’ve learned only second-hand from other sources, that has not happened — and I’m not happy about it.”

The full board did not hold a July meeting; it will not hold its next full public session until August 30. The board would likely need to vote on staff restorations then.

“We will be receiving our state aid in September, in time for the beginning of the school year,” Waterman says. “The court-ordered increase in state aid could be factored into our payroll from the start, enabling us to return many more teachers to the classroom.”

“But we first need to see a plan from our superintendent,” the board president cautions. “If that plan is in place, I’m sure the board and Dr. Epps will do their best in assuring we are appropriately utilizing this major increase in state aid.”

Waterman tells JCI that Epps is seeking to restore “more than half” the nearly 300 jobs slated to be lost. But Favia says progress is slow going thus far, adding that he has seen no sense of urgency from district headquarters.

“I would say so far [as of late July], the district has only restored 40 to 50 positions, and some of those include library aides,” the union leader estimates. “There are many, many dedicated teachers who find themselves in limbo.”

“They must now consider moving on to other districts,” he adds. “At this point, I’ve advised them to either accept other job offers or aggressively look elsewhere.”

Epps has been unavailable for comment throughout the summer. Waterman suggested we direct our inquiries to Epps’ second-in-command, deputy schools superintendent Flavio Rubano. He did not return a call seeking comment.

The superintendent’s extended absence comes as tensions remain between Epps and a board majority over his future job status. Waterman and four others on the nine-member board support a national search for a candidate that could replace Epps. Any ill will that this extended summer leave has kicked up only adds to the acrimony.

Suzanne Mack, the board’s most senior member, has asked Epps to consider retiring and also endorses a national superintendent’s search. She suggests Epps must shoulder the blame if only a small portion of essential positions are restored.

“I’ve been told there’s a large stack of papers which have just sat on Dr. Epps’ desk for an extended period during the summer,” Mack says. “They involve many important and unresolved matters, which the superintendent must address as soon as possible.”

“It’s a critical time,” Mack insists. “Many laid-off teachers have been left in the dark and need answers from Dr. Epps. They received their COBRA letters [informing them they can privately purchase health insurance lost from their past district employment), and have asked me, ‘What should I do?’”

The trustee says she’s “saddened, because we do have the money available to restore many positions, including special education teachers, who are heavily in demand but which we are in danger of losing.”

Waterman and Mack both say their hands are tied when it comes to personnel matters. They note that under current policy, the state gives Epps exclusive control over personnel and curriculum decisions, even though the board must approve expenditures in those areas.

“Policy dictates that I first go through either Dr. Epps or deputy superintendent Rubano to discuss any matters related to restoring laid-off positions,” Mack explains. “If I get that permission, I can then pursue obtaining more specific numbers from the district’s human resources director. I will certainly try doing so.”

Board member William DeRosa, chair of the district’s personnel committee and an Epps supporter, earlier called on the superintendent to do whatever it takes in restoring cut teacher positions so that “teacher to student ratios” are kept at manageable levels.

Yet at this point, DeRosa acknowledges, the key goal is making sure “every classroom is manned by a certified teacher” – even if class sizes must be larger.

Regarding concerns over Epps’ extended vacation, and its possible impact on developing an adequate plan to restore teaching positions, DeRosa says he’s unaware of any controversy.

“I just returned from a vacation myself,” he says.

DeRosa pledges to work to make sure “every classroom, particularly for science and math, as well as special education, is led by an accredited teacher once school opens.”

“It’s a fluid and unpredictable situation right now,” the former board president tells JCI. “Unfortunately, for us, the teachers we’ve laid off but might want to bring back can decide to accept job offers elsewhere. We must do the best we can in dealing with that reality.”

Photo: Steve Gold

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