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Board hears special-education partnership with South Bergen Jointure and parent concerns over outside contractors
Summary
The district detailed a partnership with the South Bergen Jointure Commission to provide specialized services and transportation while stressing compliance with IEPs; public commenters asked why outside agencies worth $800,000 were on the agenda if the jointure could fully staff services and pressed for transparency around ADA officer appointment and contractor use.
Darius Pemberton, director of special services, told the board on June 16 that Hackensack will partner with the South Bergen Jointure Commission (SBJC) to share specialized classroom programs, related services, Extended School Year (ESY) programming and transportation. Pemberton said the jointure is an educational association — not a vendor — and that district representatives will sit on SBJC boards to ensure collaboration and priority access.
Pemberton emphasized that the jointure partnership would not force changes to students’ individualized education programs (IEPs): "There’s no change. We haven’t had to amend IEPs and things of that nature… all the services and IEPs will be provided next full year the same way they were this year, and all the parental rights are protected," he said.
Despite the assurances, multiple public commenters raised questions and concerns. A parent and district speech-language pathologist asked for clarity about the appointment of the district’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) officer, noting she understood there was active litigation alleging the recommended individual denied accommodations to a staff member; she asked what due diligence was performed before making the appointment. Another commenter and several trustees pressed why agenda items seeking approval for two additional outside agencies — cited at a combined cost of $800,000 in the public comment — were necessary if SBJC could "fully staff us," as Pemberton stated.
The acting superintendent and Pemberton said SBJC provides several benefits — cost-effective services, priority seating in programs, shared professional development, and continuity of care — and that the district has not sought waivers or increased caseloads because of the shortfall. Pemberton said some paraprofessional schedule adjustments are work-schedule changes rather than reductions in contact time.
Public commenters asked for detail about how many related-service minutes, paraprofessional hours, and classroom assignments will be provided through SBJC for 2026–27; the administration said specific numbers would be provided to parents and that CPAC (special-education parent group) is being reconstituted to increase communication. The board agreed to follow up and promised to address individual questions offline where appropriate.
Several trustees and the administration said they would invite the SBJC superintendent to present at a future meeting to provide greater clarity to parents and board members.
