Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District

Last updated
Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District
Alberto M. Carvalho, 2012.jpg
since February 14, 2022
Type Superintendent
AppointerBoard of Education
Term length No fixed term
Formation1854 (as City Superintendent of Common Schools)
First holder Stephen C. Foster (as City Superintendent of Common Schools)
Website Official website

The Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District is the chief administrative officer of the District selected by the District's Board of Education. Portuguese-American educator and former superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Alberto M. Carvalho, has been serving as the District's superintendent since February 14, 2022. [1]

Contents

History

The Board of Education meeting with Superintendent Frank Bouelle (upper left), 1935. Board of Education meeting, Los Angeles, 1935.jpg
The Board of Education meeting with Superintendent Frank Bouelle (upper left), 1935.

With the first ordinance of establishing public schools passed by the Los Angeles Common Council in 1853, the ordinance stated that out of three appointed members of the Board of Education the chairman would act as Superintendent of Public Schools. [2] The first officeholder was Joseph Lancaster Brent, who served until 1854. [3] That year, Mayor Stephen C. Foster was chosen by the other Board members and urged the need for improvements in the system. [4] From 1853 to 1866, the superintendent was appointed by the Common Council. From 1866 to 1870, the office was elected via popular vote before being discontinued as the office did not have power nor authority to enforce decrees. [4]

In 1872, the Common Council created the City Board of Education, which would have the power to appoint a superintendent, thieir first appointment being Dr. William T. Lucky in 1873. The first female superintendent was appointed in 1880, when Chloe B. Jones took office. [5] The second female superintendent would be Susan Miller Dorsey, appointed in 1919 and the longest serving with 10 years. [6] In 1961, the Los Angeles City School District and the Los Angeles City High School District merged to create the Los Angeles Unified School District, to which its first superintendent of all school in the district was Jack P. Crowther who fought cutbacks to the district. [7] [8]

In 2005 after his election, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attempted to gain control of the Los Angeles Unified School District as one of his top priorities. He did so with the passing of AB 1381 through the California State Legislature, which would remove the power from the Board of Education and give it to the superintendent who would be picked by a council made by mayors of the cities in LAUSD. [9] The law was signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006 before being struck down as unconstitutional in 2007. [10] [11] The first African-American superintendent would be Sidney A. Thompson in 1992, [12] followed by David L. Brewer III in 2006. [13] The first female African-American and first female superintendent in over 80 years would be Michelle King in 2016. [14]

Duties and powers

Superintendent office sign. LAUSD Superintendent office sign, 2009.jpg
Superintendent office sign.

The superintendent is the chief administrative officer of the District and serves as the responsible local agency, able to delegate appropriate authority and responsibility to the Deputy Superintendent of Instruction with the direction of the Board of Education as well as able to supervise the Chief Special Education Officer and local district superintendents. [15] The superintendent could gain special powers if the Board of Education declares an emergency; one of these times it was utilized was during the COVID-19 pandemic in California, when superintendent Austin Beutner used it to make fast-track deals. [16] [17]

Succession

If a superintendent decides to step down from their post, the Board of Education approves a superintendent selection timeline for the district to find the next superintendent. During this time, an interim superintendent is appointed to serve as the head. After community and stakeholder input, the recruitment begins . After an interview process, a permanent superintendent is selected and their contract is finalized and approved by the Board of Education. [18]

List of superintendents

  Interim superintendent
City Superintendent of Common Schools
NamePhotoTenureRef.
J. Lancaster Brent Joseph Lancaster Brent.jpg 1853–1854 [3]
Stephen C. Foster Stephen Clark Foster.jpg 1854–1855 [4]
William B. Osburn1855–1856 [4]
John S. Griffin Dr. John Strother Griffin (00043860).jpg 1856–1857 [4]
J. Lancaster Brent Joseph Lancaster Brent.jpg 1857–1858 [4]
E. J. C. Kewen Kewen.jpg 1858–1859 [4]
William E. Boardman1859–1862 [4]
James H. Lander1862
A. F. Heinchman1862–1863 [4]
J. F. Mellus1863
Gustavus L. Mix1863–1864 [4]
Russel F. Hayes1864–1865 [4]
Elias Birdsall RevEliasBirdsall.jpg 1865–1866 [19] [20]
Joseph Huber Sr. 1866–1867 [4]
H. D. Barrows Henry Dwight Barrows.png 1867–1868 [21]
Andrew Glassell Andrew Glassell.jpg 1868–1869 [4]
T. H. Rose1869–1870 [4]
Vacant (1870–1873) [4]
Superintendent of Los Angeles City Schools
NamePhotoTenureRef.
William T. Lucky William T Lucky.jpg 1873–1876
Charles H. Kimball1876–1880
Mrs. Chloe B. Jones CBJones.jpg 1880–1881 [5]
James Miller Guinn James Guinn.jpg 1881–1883 [22]
Lyman D. Smith1883–1885
W. M. Freisner1885–1893
LeRoy D. Brown LeRoy D. Brown, 1887.jpg 1893–1894
William Nicholas Hailman1894
Preston W. Search1894–1895
James A. Foshay Portrait of James A. Foshay (1856-1914) at his desk, ca.1902 (CHS-3763) (cropped).jpg 1895–1906 [23]
Ernest Carroll Moore Ernest Carroll Moore, educator, in 1909.jpg 1906–1910 [24]
John Haywood Francis John H Francis.png 1910–1916
Albert Shiels Albert Shiels 1919.png 1916–1919 [25]
Susan Miller Dorsey Portrait of Susan Miller Dorsey.jpg 1919–1929 [5]
Frank A. Bouelle Frank A. Bouelle, Superintendent of Schools, Los Angeles, 1929-1937.jpg 1929–1937
Vierling C. Kersey Vierling C. Kersey, 1935.jpg 1937–1939 [26]
Alexander J. Stoddard Alexander J. Stoddard, 1946.jpg 1949–1954 [27]
Harry M. Howell1954
Claude Lamar Reeves Claude Lamar Reeves.jpg 1954–1956 [28]
Ellis Adams Jarvis Ellis A Jarvis 1961.jpg 1956–1961 [29]
Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District
NamePhotoTenureRef.
Jack P. Crowther Jack P Crowther.jpg 1962–1970 [7]
William J. Johnston1971–1981 [30]
Harry Handler1981–1987 [30]
Leonard M. Britton1987–1990 [31] [32]
William R. Antón1990–1992 [30]
Sidney A. Thompson1992–1997 [30] [12]
Ruben Zacarias1997–2000 [30]
Ramón C. Cortines 2000 [33]
Roy Romer Roy Romer 2010 (1).jpg 2000–2006 [34]
David L. Brewer III VADM David L Brewer.jpg 2006–2008 [35] [13]
Ramón C. Cortines2009–2011 [33]
John Deasy John Deasy, 2011.png 2011–2014 [36] [37]
Ramón C. Cortines2014–2016 [38] [39]
Michelle King Michelle King, 2013.jpg 2016–2018 [14]
Vivian Ekchian2018 [40] [41]
Austin Beutner Austin Beutner, 2020.jpg 2018–2021 [42] [43]
Megan K. Reilly Megan K. Reilly, 2021.jpg 2021–2022 [44] [45]
Alberto M. Carvalho Alberto M. Carvalho, 2012.jpg 2022–present [46] [47]

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References

  1. ↑ "Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Chosen to Lead Los Angeles School District". WTVJ . December 9, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Getting Schooled with a Joint Resolution of the California Legislature to Congress on School Lands, April-May 1854". The Homestead Museum. May 10, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Getting Schooled with Los Angeles County's Public School Origins, 1854-1855". The Homestead Museum. May 3, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Guinn, J. M. (1897). "Pioneer School Superintendents of Los Angeles". Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California and Pioneer Register, Los Angeles. 4 (1). University of California Press on behalf of the Historical Society of Southern California: 76–81. doi:10.2307/41167692. JSTOR   41167692.
  5. 1 2 3 Szymanski, Mike (August 20, 2015). "A correction, sort of: LA has had 2 females in district leadership roles". L.A. School Report.
  6. ↑ McGregor, Georgette (1953). "The Educational Career of Susan Miller Dorsey". History of Education Journal. 5 (1). Cambridge University Press: 15–17. JSTOR   3659236.
  7. 1 2 Oliver, Myrna (May 22, 1993). "Jack P. Crowther; Led L.A. Schools From 1962 to '70, Fought Cutbacks". Los Angeles Times .
  8. ↑ "JACK P. CROWTHER". Orlando Sentinel . May 23, 1993.
  9. ↑ "What does AB 1381 do, and what happens next?". Los Angeles Daily News . August 30, 2006.
  10. ↑ "Schwarzenegger signs bill granting L.A. mayor power to help govern L.A. schools". The San Diego Union-Tribune . September 19, 2006.
  11. ↑ "AB 1381, RIP". Los Angeles Daily News . May 22, 2007.
  12. 1 2 Harmon, Joanie (August 21, 2014). "From LAUSD to Center X, retired district chief still strives to change lives through education". University of California, Los Angeles .
  13. 1 2 Cholo, Ana Beatriz (October 14, 2006). "Former admiral picked to run L.A. schools". The Press Democrat .
  14. 1 2 Guzman-Lopez, Adolfo; Walz, Maura (January 11, 2016). "LAUSD board picks long-time administrator Michelle King as new superintendent". KPCC .{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ↑ "DESCRIPTION OF GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE LOCAL PLAN" (PDF). Los Angeles Unified School District . pp. 3–4.
  16. ↑ Stokes, Kyle (October 2, 2020). "How LAUSD's Superintendent Has Used Special Pandemic Emergency Powers To Make Fast-Track Deals". LAist.
  17. ↑ Stokes, Kyle; Javier, Carla (March 10, 2020). "LAUSD Board Approves Emergency Coronavirus Declaration". LAist.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ↑ "Overview of Superintendent Search 2021". Los Angeles Unified School District .
  19. ↑ "'Jerusalem Epiphanies' lecture set for Jan. 24 with leader of Churches for Middle East Peace". Saint Mark's Episcopal Church. January 7, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Treading the Boards: The Temple/City Hall Theatre, Los Angeles, 1859-1868". Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum Blog. December 20, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Henry Dwight Barrows". Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California. 9 (3). University of California Press: 260–262. 1914. doi:10.2307/41168714. JSTOR   41168714.
  22. ↑ "J.M. Guinn – The Father of Anaheim Education". Anaheim High School Alumni Association. July 24, 2017.
  23. ↑ "School Namesake and Interesting Facts". James A. Foshay Learning Center .
  24. ↑ "Ernest Carroll Moore, Co-Founder of UCLA". University of California, Los Angeles . 2007.
  25. ↑ "DR. ALBERT SHIELS, EDUCATOR, IS DEAD; Columbia Professor Emeritus, Who Headed Los Angeles Schools, 1916-19, Was 74 BECAME TEACHER IN 1890 Ex-District Superintendent in New York Was Once a British Proconsul". The New York Times . March 15, 1940.
  26. ↑ "Education: Supt. Kersey Goes to War". Time . April 13, 1942.
  27. ↑ "Stoddard, Alexander J. (Alexander Jerry), 1889-1965 Variant names". Social Networks and Archival Context .
  28. ↑ "Northridge man has been acting in post since Sept". Calisphere. 1954.
  29. ↑ "Finding Aid for the Jarvis Family Papers, 1880-1962" (PDF). Online Archive of California . p. 2.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 Maltais, Michelle; Kohli, Sonali (January 13, 2016). "See how LAUSD has wavered between picking leaders from the outside and within". Los Angeles Times .{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  31. ↑ "CANDIDATE HAS HAD CAREER HIGHS, LOWS". Orlando Sentinel .
  32. ↑ "Welcome, Leonard Britton". Los Angeles Times . May 12, 1987.
  33. 1 2 Blume, Howard (January 4, 2016). "How Ramon Cortines set the standard for the next L.A. schools chief". Los Angeles Times .
  34. ↑ "Colorado Ex-Governor Takes Schools Post". The New York Times. The Associated Press. June 7, 2000.
  35. ↑ McDonald, Patrick Range (December 26, 2007). "HOW SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BREWER RAN AGROUND". LA Weekly .
  36. ↑ Ebright, Olsen (January 11, 2011). "Board Votes 6-0; John Deasy Named LAUSD Superintendent". KNBC .
  37. ↑ "Deasy picked to lead LAUSD". Santa Monica Daily Press . 12 January 2011.
  38. ↑ Maxwell, Lesli A. (October 16, 2014). "John Deasy Resigns Top Post in L.A.; Ramon C. Cortines to Be Interim Chief". Education Week .
  39. ↑ "New LAUSD Interim Superintendent Ramon Cortines Begins Watch". KCBS-TV . October 20, 2014.
  40. ↑ "Acting LAUSD Superintendent Named". San Fernando Valley Sun . January 10, 2018.
  41. ↑ Szymanski, Mike (January 9, 2018). "LAUSD's school board can begin superintendent search; Ekchian is named interim head". LA School Report.
  42. ↑ "LAUSD Names Philanthropist, Former Investment Banker Austin Beutner Superintendent". KCBS-TV . May 1, 2018.
  43. ↑ Stokes, Kyles (May 1, 2018). "LAUSD board names Austin Beutner as next superintendent". KPCC .
  44. ↑ Blume, Howard (April 23, 2021). "L.A. school board names Megan Reilly, head of business services, as interim superintendent". Los Angeles Times .
  45. ↑ Haddock, Tim (August 16, 2021). "LAUSD's interim chief helps Valley's Cleveland, Arleta high schools return to in-person learning". Los Angeles Daily News .
  46. ↑ Burke, Mihcael (December 14, 2021). "Los Angeles Unified's new superintendent pledges to be 'a voice in the community'". EdSource.
  47. ↑ Blume, Howard (December 14, 2021). "New LAUSD Supt. Alberto Carvalho: 'We have to emerge from this crisis stronger'". Los Angeles Times .
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