School Board Lets Chief Hire 3 Aides, but at Lower Salaries

The Los Angeles Board of Education approved three new deputy superintendents Monday but at a salary level slightly lower than that originally requested by Supt. Ruben Zacarias.

Previously, leaders of the Los Angeles Unified School District have functioned with one or two top assistants, but Zacarias wanted to expand that group to four--including a future finance czar--to leave himself freer to focus on improving student achievement.

Moving up to the $139,000-a-year posts from the ranks of assistant superintendents are Liliam Castillo, head of the district’s parent outreach and now instruction supervisor; Sacramento lobbyist Ron Prescott; and Francis Nakano, a top aide to former Supt. Sid Thompson. Zacarias had originally asked for nearly $150,000 a year for each.

Castillo, a former teacher and principal, is the first woman to hold a deputy-level position in the district.

In addition, the board renewed one-year contracts for 26 other high-level administrators, including Assistant Supt. John Nagata. Computer chief Nagata’s annual evaluation had been postponed pending results of an outside management review of his troubled division.