PORTLAND, Maine — Portland Public Schools Superintendent Xavier Botana announced plans on Friday to step down from his position in 2023.
Botana had previously announced in the fall his intentions to step down from the position in June 2023 after serving seven years in the role, a news release from Portland Public Schools said. The superintendent cited "district payroll issues" as the primary reason for his decision to leave the position.
"As you know, the past six weeks have been extremely difficult for the Portland Public Schools,” Botana said in a resignation letter to the Portland Board of Education. “While I have worked tirelessly to find solutions, and we reached an agreement with the [Portland Education] Association regarding [the] next steps to ensure that all staff are paid accurately and on time, I think it is in the district’s best interest that I step aside and allow new leadership to bring closure to these matters.”
The release stated, "Staff turnover, a complex payroll system, and an internet system outage in November" only added to the district's struggle to pay its more than 1,500 employees in the fall.
However, the district's payroll is reportedly still an ongoing issue.
"As a direct result of advocacy from the Portland Education Association and Maine Education Association, the district hired Spinglass Consulting to conduct a forensic analysis of its payroll system and make recommendations for improvements," the release explained. "The district also is collaborating with the city and has brought in a staff person from its MUNIS payroll company to assist and is planning to outsource its payroll in the future."
Botana offered his resignation to the Portland Board of Education at an executive session at 4 p.m. Friday.
In an updated release Friday evening, Portland Public School said the Board voted to accept Botana's resignation effective January 31, 2023, or "the starting date of an interim superintendent, whichever occurs first."
Botana said in the release he will remain available for consultation amid the transition until June 30, 2023, or until an interim superintendent is appointed.
“I am committed to assisting the board as it sees appropriate in the transition,” Botana said in Friday's release.
For more information about the virtual board meeting held at 4 p.m. Friday, click here. Then, click the “Board” tab at the top right, and then "BoardDocs."
The release stated the board would not be open to discussion or public comment following the 4 p.m. meeting Friday.