Central Bucks superintendent resigns. Board to vote on $600K+ severance package

The Central Bucks School Board is expected to consider the resignation of its superintendent Abram Lucabaugh, who received new contract and a 40% salary increase in July and is now asking to be let out of his contract.

The sudden departure — with a proposed six-figure severance package — comes less than a week after Democrats swept the school board race, giving the party control of the district when the governing body reorganizes next month.

The timing of the resignation allows the Republican-controlled board to vote on his leave before the the newly elected Democrat majority takes over. The new board doesn't take control until Dec. 4.

Lucabaugh's severance package is expected to cost the district more than $630,000, incumbent board member Karen Smith said Monday night.

“I am completely shocked. Again the board minority was kept totally in the dark,” Smith said. “This is a staggering payout for unknown reasons.”

Smith is one of three Democrats on the board, but that number increases to six next month when Smith and four newly elected board members elected Nov. 7 are seated.

Board President Dana Hunter, who was not re-elected, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the resignation, proposed severance and consulting agreements.

The agenda item, added late Monday afternoon, would make Lucabaugh’s resignation effective at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday night.

The separation, described as “by mutual consent,” would give Lucabaugh his full pay and benefits as described in his employment contract through Nov. 14, 2023. After that date Lucabaugh shall receive “only the payments expressly and specifically set forth in this agreement.”

The school board is also expected Tuesday night to vote on the appointment of Assistant Superintendent Charles Malone as acting superintendent.

The board will also consider Tuesday extending the outgoing superintendent a $10,000 consulting deal.

The service contract is separate from the severance deal and it calls for Lucabaugh to be retained as a consultant to the interim superintendent through November 30, 2023.

If the board wanted to keep him on after that it would pay him $1,000 per day or $500 per one-half day, with a one-half day minimum, plus expenses, according to board documents.

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Lucabaugh is a 17-year employee of the Central Bucks School District. He previously served as principal at Central Bucks East High School before he was appointed assistant superintendent in 2018.

He was named superintendent of Pennsylvania’s fourth largest school district in 2021.

Lucabaugh still had three years left on his contract when the current GOP-majority school board approved a new five-year employment agreement, which made him the second highest paid superintendent in Pennsylvania and sparked community outrage.

The proposed severance agreement would pay Lucabaugh $32,105.81 for 26.5 unused vacation days and $235,038.76 for 194 unused accumulated sick leave.

The agreement noted that Lucabaugh agreed to forfeit 41 days of his accumulated sick leave, saving the district $49,673.14.

Lucabaugh will receive a $315,000 lump sum payment as well as continued taxpayer-subsidized medical benefits for him and his dependents through June 30, 2024.

The district also agreed to pay Lucabaugh a $50,000 "settlement payment" to resolve any "potential issues or claims" involving his employment "including allegations made by Dr. Lucabaugh of a pattern of harassment that undermined his ability to carry out the functions of his job and contributed to an environment of incivility and hostility during his tenure," according to the agreement.

In recent years, Lucabaugh has issued multiple community statements where he defended the GOP-majority school board's actions, vowed to protect students from inappropriate library materials and denied the district is hostile environment for LGBTQ+ students or fails to value and support all students.

According to the "joint public statement" clause in the severance agreement, the district agrees that no member of the school board, central office or human resources staff is authorized to make public statements regarding Lucabaugh or his performance as superintendent "that is inconsistent with or contrary to the public statement."

This is the agreed upon public statement, which appears at the end of the nine-page agreement under the subtitle "Appendix B"

“The Central Bucks School District and Dr. Lucabaugh have agreed to exercise the paragraph of his Employment Contract regarding Employment Agreement Renewal or Termination that permits the Parties to agree mutually on separation of Dr. Lucabaugh as Superintendent of Central Bucks School District. This will allow the new School Board, which will be seated on December 4, 2023, to select a new superintendent for the School District.

"It will also allow Dr. Lucabaugh to pursue other opportunities in the educational arena. The School District wants to thank Dr. Lucabaugh for the extraordinary leadership he has provided through very difficult and contentious times. He always stayed above the fray and focused upon the educational mission of the School District notwithstanding other distractions that existed. The Central Bucks community has profited from his leadership and the School District hopes his successor will be able to maintain the high standards that he has established.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Central Bucks Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh resigns post election