Superintendent With Glowing Stats May Not Have Contract Renewed, Supporters Fear

A Superintendent who supporters say has done a tremendous job turning around a troubled Hudson Valley school district may not have his contract renewed.

Over 740 have signed an online petition supporting Newburgh Superintendent Roberto Padilla. The Newburgh Enlarged City School District Board of Education will vote on Tuesday on whether or not to renew his contract.

Supporters fear that four board members will vote in block against Padilla. He is finishing his second year of a 3-year contract that requires at least five board members, out of an 8-member-board, to vote in favor of extending his contract.

Many feel an extension should be a forgone conclusion. According to the petition, in two years Padilla has lowered the dropout rate, raised the graduation rate, student assessment scores improved, and a number of schools have been taken off the New York State Department of Education watch lists.

Supporters also say Padilla increased investments in early childhood programs, programs for struggling students, and created measures to hold teachers and administrators accountable.

A few teachers who wished for their names to be omitted tell Hudson Valley Post that after signing the petition supporting Padilla they’ve been brought in for hearings with human resources.

Other teachers, who also wish to remain anonymous, say that the school district was heading in the right direction before Padilla’s arrival, adding that new policies were created to help pad the stats in his favor.

Others declined to comment for fear of repercussions.

Padilla is a Newburgh Free Academy graduate growing up in a bad area of the City of Newburgh. Sources say, in hopes of improving his hometown, it was Padilla’s dream job to become Superintendent of Newburgh

Prior to landing the Superintendent job in Newburgh Padilla is credited with helping turn around a few struggling schools in New York City.

Phone calls to the Newburgh Board of Education were not returned.