SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Independent School District has spent nearly a half million dollars on just one expense since 2022: a consultant, records obtained by KSAT Investigates show.
After several tips from former employees and viewers, KSAT Investigates reviewed Brad Jupp’s role with SAISD and his impact on its students.
The cash-strapped district hired Jupp in the summer of 2022. He currently serves as a senior advisor.
“He’s going to be working with the entire executive team, working in pushing our thinking on how to transform,” Superintendent Jaime Aquino said during a June 2022 board meeting.
Aquino advocated hiring the retired educator.
“[Jupp is] going to help us think about developing strategy as it relates to increasing family, community and community engagement,” Aquino said.
Jupp, who previously taught for nearly 20 years, was given a laundry list of responsibilities, records show.
That included reviewing school choice, educator talent management and other matters assigned by the superintendent.
Records: SAISD paid Jupp more than contract allowed
Invoices showed his duties included working on the district’s goal and budget, having conversations about school closures, and addressing HVAC issues from last year that led to temporary campus shutdowns.
Jupp’s first contract, which spanned from June 2022 through June 2023, had his pay capped at no more than $170,000.
SAISD ended up paying Jupp $190,965.08, records show.
For his second year-long contract with the district, he was paid $184,093.61. His contract, approved by the board, said Jupp was not to be paid more than $175,000.
"What does that tell you?" asked KSAT reporter Daniela Ibarra.
“It tells me that the contract didn’t seem to be really well-defined when the board first approved that,” said Jorge Borrego, the education policy director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based think tank.
He called consultants for public schools a luxury.
“For a district that is, you know, struggling to keep their books, positively, you know, not run the deficit looking at when you’re overpaying consultants,” Borrego said.
KSAT Investigates requested an interview with Aquino or Jupp. However, spokesperson Laura Short responded with a statement defending the expenses.
“The requested scope of work that Mr. Jupp was assigned did exceed the annual estimate in the contract,” Short wrote in an email. “... Since Mr. Jupp completed the requested work, he is entitled to the compensation paid for all hours worked.”
Short added that moving forward, the district will add a contract amendment and a purchase order for any future scope expansion.
KSAT Investigates asked Short if the SAISD board knew Jupp’s work cost more than the value listed in the contracts they approved. She said the purchase orders for the additional work were an “administrative matter.”
Jupp is currently in the middle of his third contract with the district, which is not to exceed more than $178,500. As of November 2024, records show he’s been paid $73,482.15 for the current contract.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.
