Chief financial officer of Durham Public Schools steps down following staff salary error

LeSieur worked for DPS for 13 years.

Some DPS classified employees – people like nurses, janitorial and maintenance staff and instructional aides -- received more money than they should have in their paychecks dating between July and December 2023, which were processed in the October, November and December payrolls.

The error was due to a classified salary schedule approval in October, DPS said.

As school leaders debated whether to claw back the overpayments and how to pay staff going forward, employees responded with walkouts -- leaving schools understaffed -- and several protests.

On Thursday, hundreds of Durham Public School employees gathered to voice their concerns about issues like pay and staffing.

After a three-hour closed session, Bettina Umstead, chair of the DPS Board of Education, delivered a statement, saying a payment mistake "adversely impacted the entire DPS family."

"We are sorry for the harm that's been caused," Umstead said. "I want to be clear that we value each and every one of our employees and we are working hard to resolve the situation ... and to earn back your trust."

The board approved second checks for classified staff, ensuring they receive their full, promised pay for this month.

The payment error impacted several employees, including classified employees, transportation workers, nutrition and building services staff, instructional assistants, and physical and occupational therapists.