John E. Deasy, a former superintendent at the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District,was named the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District on Tuesday (Jan. 11).
Deasy signed a three-year contract with LAUSD that will pay him $330,000 per year and includes a $10,000 bonus if certain student achievement incentives are met, according to media reports. His contract does not have a buyout clause, which means he can be terminated with 30 days notice, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. Deasy is expected to take over from Cortines, who is retiring, in mid-April.
The Mirror reported in October that speculation circled around Deasy, 50, being brought in by outgoing LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines, 78, as his heir apparent.
Deasy was SMMUSD’s top administrator from July 2004 to June 2007 at a base salary of $100,000 annually. His perks included a standard 10 percent annual performance bonus, $1,500 in monthly housing allowance, $500 per month for transportation and a $250,000 life insurance policy.
After leaving Santa Monica, he worked for Prince George’s County schools in Maryland and at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
