Edmond Public Schools renewed employment contracts for all of the district’s top brass, only to turn around and tell many of them that their jobs are being eliminated. The moves by first-year superintendent Josh Delich and the Edmond school board already have local taxpayers on the hook to c over nearly $90,000 in cash settlements with the first two administrators to be ousted, with arrangements for other affected employees still unresolved. At least 10 district officials have reportedly been notified their positions have been or will soon be eliminated, and of those, five have been selected for newly created positions in Delich’s reorganized administration. EPS has not fulfilled a public records request for email discussions between Delich and the school board, but in an interview, Delich acknowledged that talks of the matter began as early as January.  With notifications coming so late in the spring semester – 1-3 months after administrators had their contracts renewed for 2026-27 on March 2 – some of those affected have been forced into retirement or to find new jobs elsewhere for significantly less pay. Others are in limbo after being told they will be cut at an unspecified date in the fall after critical job duties are completed. “I’ve worked in Edmond for 25 years of my 30-year career and we have never treated people this way,” said Cara Jernigan, whose last day as executive director of elementary education was June 30. “I have never been reprimanded informally or formally; I’ve never had a bad evaluation. I’ve watched people who made mistakes and had to be let go be treated with more dignity and respect than this.” At a special meeting on June 24, the school board approved separation agreements with Jernigan and Mark Andrus, district residency and truancy officer. That Wednesday evening meeting during summer break was the first public signal that a shake-up was underway at the state’s fourth-largest school district. Jernigan agreed to resign on July 1 in exchange for health insurance for July and a lump-sum payment of nearly $54,000, which she said won’t even cover the difference between her salary at Edmond and her new job as a school principal in another district.  “It was hard to decide to do a separation agreement and not just walk away because I knew it would impact our schools and our community, and that’s unfortunate,” said Jernigan, who was handed notice her job was being eliminated by Delich on April 2. “I do not feel it was handled appropriately. I know organizational change happens, and I don’t deny it may be needed. But I had a contract and I thought I had a job. Had you told me this was the plan in the fall or winter, there were (openings for) superintendent, assistant superintendent, my same position at other districts. I could have applied for those jobs.” She said she was willing to answer questions about what’s happening at Edmond because some former colleagues, whose exit terms haven’t been finalized, may not be in a position to speak out just yet. “People are scared now,” Jernigan said. “They’re asking, ‘Does my contract not mean anything?’ That’s what makes me sad for this community.” Josh Delich Andrus’ settlement will pay him more than $35,000, plus health insurance, for July and August in exchange for his resigning on June 30, despite his new employment contract, which was to run through June 2027. The vast majority of the settlement, $25,119, is approximately what Andrus could have received in state retirement payments this summer had he been told his job was being eliminated in time for him to apply for retirement earlier. The remainder is for his unused sick leave. Andrus explained that he felt he had to seek a cash settlement to make up for what will be a months-long interruption in pay. “I signed a contract in March,” said Andrus, when contacted by Oklahoma Watch. Andrus worked 31 of his 42 years in education as an administrator at EPS. “I met with them in May and that’s when I found out my position was eliminated,” he said. “We made the decision in my best interest, where I am right now in my career, is to go ahead and retire. I would just like to have known earlier. If I would have known, I would rather have gone out on my own.” Asked why EPS obligated itself with new administrator employment contracts with a reorganization already in the works, Delich said there is no perfect timing for such things. “Continually delaying that piece can be impactful, so that’s kind of where we landed in terms of approving and moving forward on that,” he said. “Like most districts, you would not put the cart before the horse in that context because we weren’t there yet.” Differing Legal Opinions Doug Mann, an attorney who has represented several Edmond administrators affected by this reorganization, previously helped superintendents and school boards with staff reductions and reorganizations in five decades of legal work for scores of Oklahoma school districts.  He said it was improper that written notices to employees in April and May did not advise them of their right to request a due process hearing before the school board, nor did they specify their last date of employment. And he said he thinks such late notices needlessly turned employees’ lives upside down and made it nearly impossible for them to find new jobs. “These actions by the superintendent came without any compliance with state and federal due process requirements, in complete breach of these employees’ 26-27 employment contracts and without any action by the Edmond board,” Mann said. “In my opinion, this was shameful conduct towards professional educators. Further, it is absolutely inexplicable why the superintendent had the board enter into lawfully enforceable employment contracts with these administrators for 2026-27 when he knew that he planned to eliminate many of their jobs for some or all of 2026-27.” A different attorney who advises school boards across the state said it would be ideal if superintendents notified administrators of reorganizations earlier, but state law gives school districts considerable flexibility regarding this employee category. Oklahoma State School Boards Association General Counsel Julie Miller spoke on the matter in general terms, not specific to Edmond. “It does take people off guard sometimes,” Miller said. “They do have to make changes when someone comes on board because they identify new priorities. The structure has to move to make that be able to be implemented. In Oklahoma, our administrators have the lowest level of due process compared to other categories (of school employees).” Cara Jernigan, whose last day as executive director of elementary education at Edmond Public Schools was June 30, 2026. But that doesn’t mean affected administrators have zero due process rights under Oklahoma law. “They get a letter from the superintendent identifying their position will be eliminated,” Miller said. “They would have 10 days from the date of notification to request a due process hearing. This would be the same kind of due process hearing as a teacher would receive, but instead of citing cause, they just have to have a reason. Then the employee can respond to that reason, about why their position is necessary and important. It would be up to board to go along with the superintendent’s plan to reclassify employees. It is very rare that the board tries to interject.” As for the school board’s oversight role, Miller said school boards are under no obligation to vote to eliminate job positions or to create new positions unless “anyone is getting a pay increase.” “The board just votes to hire or not hire and at what rate of pay,” she said. Apples to Apples Delich said the aims of his reorganization are to enhance support for schools, strengthen K-12 alignment in the district, and improve “interdepartmental teaming.”  Asked how he would explain to taxpayers the need to pay out district funds for cash settlements with administrators, Delich said: “It happens when people leave organizations, depending on, you know, if you looked at varied contracts with people. You know, vacation time is paid out. And also, when going through reorganization or structure, it’s very consistent with what districts across the country will do as they’re going through this work.” But Edmond’s handling stands in stark contrast to how Tulsa Public Schools just handled an administrative reduction-in-force and reorganization on a much larger scale. In July 2025, the first month of Fiscal Year 2026, TPS sent emails districtwide to warn employees that a review of areas of duplication and gaps in services could lead to changes in central office staffing levels. In mid-February, 50 affected employees were notified at in-person meetings and in formal letters that their positions were being eliminated, along with about 40 other vacancies.  Superintendent Ebony Johnson penned a two-page letter informing affected employees that she would recommend non-renewal of their employment, effective July 1, explaining their due process rights in detail, the reasons for her “incredibly difficult decision,” and encouraging them to apply for vacancies or avail themselves of district resources for employee assistance. “Please know I am deeply grateful for your contributions to the students at Tulsa Public Schools,” stated Johnson’s February letter, which was obtained through a public records request. “These decisions were not made lightly. The reason for this potential action is the anticipated shortfall in the district’s budget and the need to redirect district resources, not the quality of your job performance or your value to Team Tulsa. We are grateful for your service to our students, teachers, and families. We understand that this is difficult news, and I want to assure you that our Talent Management team and I are here to support you as you plan for the coming year.” Mark Andrus, now former district residency and truancy officer at Edmond Public Schools. The effort to save the Tulsa district about $3.8 million was no secret, as Johnson simultaneously announced the administrative eliminations in an email to all district personnel and a memo to the school board, which were then confirmed to local media outlets. A month later, the Tulsa school board held a special meeting at which it voted to eliminate the 90 administrative positions and create about a dozen new positions, and conducted a due process hearing for the lone administrator who requested one. While their eliminations came with no warning, multiple Edmond administrators interviewed for this story said, in hindsight, there had been signs of upset at the very top of Edmond Public Schools’ organizational chart as far back as November.  “There were a couple board meetings in the fall and I think in February where there were raised voices coming from executive session, but none of us ever knew what that was about,” Jernigan said, referring to herself and other cabinet members who routinely had to wait to be called into the closed-door sessions for specific matters. One-year contract extensions for the superintendent are routinely approved by the Edmond school board each January, but Delich hasn’t received an extension this year. Asked whether he would expect to be compensated by EPS if he leaves before his contract expires in June 2028, Delich responded: “I think I would work through the scenario based on my situation. I know what you’re suggesting is having a hard and fast rule on separations; it all depends on the context of the separation with that employee and the organization.” Edmond School Board President Jamie Underwood declined to answer questions about why she voted to approve contract renewals ahead of a reorganization and what she would say to local taxpayers about having to foot the bill for related settlement agreements.  “Change is sometimes necessary to move the district forward,” she said. “I am excited for the progress that I anticipate these changes will bring.” Board Vice President Cynthia Benson did not respond to requests for comment. Andrea Eger covers a variety of topics for Oklahoma Watch. Contact her at [email protected]. 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