DOYLESTOWN, PA — Two days before the Central Bucks School Board was tentatively scheduled to vote on the termination of Superintendent Dr. Stephen Yanni, the district’s head administrator has surfaced as the CEO of a K-8 charter school in Philadelphia.
Yanni is listed as the CEO of the Northwood Academy Charter School in the Frankford section of the city. The tuition-free school, which emphasizes a “whole child” approach to education, has an enrollment of 800 students.
Yanni has been on paid administrative leave from the Central Bucks School District since April 24. He was placed on leave in the wake of a 75-page report released by Disability Rights Pennsylvania into alleged abuse of special education students in a Jamison Elementary School special education classroom last fall.
Following an investigation, the disability rights watchdog group found that students in the Jamison autistic support classroom were subjected to abuse, neglect, illegal restraints, and aversive treatment.
Disability Rights Pennsylvania also found that mandated reporters at Jamison Elementary and in the administration failed to file a ChildLine report and that the ChildLine reports filed by Superintendent Dr. Steven Yanni on behalf of the district were “delayed, incomplete, and misleading.”
As a result of an independent investigation, the school board in June voted unanimously with one abstention to approve statements of charges against five employees, including Yanni, and to begin termination proceedings against them.
In response to the board’s action, Yanni sent a statement to the press saying he was “incredibly disappointed by the board’s decision regarding my position as superintendent of the Central Bucks School District.
“In the near future, I look forward to resolving the matter by ensuring accurate information is shared, as the last few months have been punctuated with inaccurate information and attacks against my leadership, professionalism, and character.
“For more than two decades, I have dedicated my life to my career as a teacher and leader. Those who know me know that I am a staunch advocate for children — their education and their well-being. That will continue to be my focus … I will fight to regain the good name and reputation that I built over my career as an educator and advocate for children.”
During a termination hearing in August, he denied lying or misleading anyone about the abuse investigation and that he had taken appropriate action concerning the allegations. He requested a public termination hearing to clear his name.
The school board had been scheduled to vote on Thursday night on the termination.
In 2024, Yanni left a job as superintendent of the Lower Merion School District to take the administrative helm of the Central Bucks School District, the third-largest school district in the state.
Dr. Charles Malone has been serving as substitute superintendent since Yanni was placed on leave.