Key business leaders called for Cortines' appointment when it became clear that Brewer would be leaving. A few expressed reservations, however, about a long stay. They characterized Cortines as a top-of-the-line traditional superintendent who, paradoxically, could manage the district well enough to postpone a needed full-force revolution. They said his presence in other school systems, though positive, never led directly to widespread reforms, an analysis Cortines disagrees with.
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Cortines takes top schools job
'We will not do things the same way,' says Brewer's replacement, once his top deputy, in the job a second time.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Friday, December 19, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 52 words Type of Material: Correction
Ramon Cortines: A California section article on Wednesday reported that incoming Los Angeles Unified Supt. Ramon C. Cortines would receive up to $10,000 per year in expense reimbursements. School district officials have since corrected information they previously provided. The contract specifies that the new superintendent will be reimbursed for "appropriate professional expenses."
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Marshall Tuck, who heads the mayor's school-reform team, said skeptics underestimate Cortines. "Ray has the ability to lay out what needs to get done and hire the appropriate people to do that," Tuck said. One immediate likely change is that this superintendent will appear only when needed at school board meetings, which can last all day. Cortines recently said he has no intention of squandering valuable hours.
When she heard this remark, board president Monica Garcia laughed.
"We have a lot to learn," she said, "from Ray Cortines."
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howard.blume@latimes.com
Times staff writer Jason Song contributed to this article.
