Saturday, February 13, 2010

Schools Matter: LAUSD's Cortines on Scholastic's Payroll

Schools Matter: LAUSD's Cortines on Scholastic's Payroll

LAUSD's Cortines on Scholastic's Payroll



Book supplier paid LAUSD chief $150K last year

Feb. 12, 2010 | Adolfo Guzman-Lopez | KPCC

Ethics watchdogs say they’re troubled that Los Angeles Unified’s superintendent is supplementing his salary with money paid by a large company that sells reading material and services to the school district.
L.A. Unified Superintendent Ramon Cortines sits on the board of directors of the New York City-based Scholastic Corporation. The Los Angeles Times reports that federal filings disclosed Cortines earned $151,000 last year from the company, and roughly the same amount the previous two years.

A filing from five months ago indicates that he owns about $100,000 worth of stock in the company. The school district pays him a $250,000 salary.
Scholastic has $16 million in contracts to provide L.A. Unified with reading material. Cortines said he abstains from any school district decisions having to do with the company. Former school board