1

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
This agreement (Agreement) is made and entered into by and between the Board
Of Education Of The Los Angeles Unified School District, hereinafter referred to as "the
Board of Education" or "the Board" (on behalf of the District), and Ramon Cortines,
hereinafter referred to as "Cortines" or "the General Superintendent," hereinafter collectively
referred to as "the parties."
WITNESSETH
The parties do hereby contract and agree as follows:
1. Pursuant to the provisions of Education Code section 35031, the Board of
Education and the General Superintendent hereby enter into this agreement ("Agreement"),
to be effective October 20, 2014, under the terms and conditions set forth herein. To the
extent any previous contracts of employment between the parties, including but not limited
to, the agreements dated July 1, 2008 and December 16, 2008, remain in existence, such
agreements are superseded by this Agreement and the prior agreements are null and void
and of no further effect, except as provided in Paragraph 8, below. This is the complete
agreement between the parties and may only be modified by a writing signed by the parties.
2. The Board hereby employs Cortines as the General Superintendent of
Schools of the Los Angeles Unified School District ("District") and any successor district
thereto, commencing October 20, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, unless mutually
extended by the parties and such period being subject to the provisions of paragraph 3,
below. Cortines accepts such employment, but declines to accept the full benefits and
rights afforded District employees, including rights provided by law. Instead, the benefits
and rights afforded to him are as specified in this Agreement.

2

3. The termination date of this Agreement may be accelerated at any time, if
either party to this Agreement notifies the other, in writing, of its or his intention to do so, at
least 30 days in advance of the effective date of such accelerated termination. The notice of
acceleration is in the absolute discretion of the party giving the notice, and may be taken
unilaterally without any additional payment required. Each party recognizes that the giving
of such notice by the other party will not be required to meet any test of reasonableness or
good faith. The taking of such action by the Board is not intended to, and will not be, a
constructive termination or similar event. The taking of such action by the General
Superintendent will not be an anticipatory breach of the Agreement.
4. Cortines understands that he shall not obtain permanent status as a result of
this Agreement, and that upon termination of his employment as General Superintendent,
whether under the provisions of paragraph 2 or paragraph 3, no further amounts will be
owing to him, other than as specifically provided in this Agreement.
5. As stated in Education Code section 35035, the General Superintendent shall
be the Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Education, and shall have all the powers and
perform all the duties of the General Superintendent of Schools for the District as provided
by law and the Board of Education, and shall devote all time necessary to perform said
duties. It is understood and agreed that the General Superintendent will be given discretion
over personnel appointments. The General Superintendent understands and agrees to give
the Board prior notification on appointments to senior management positions, which shall be
presented to the Board for ratification.
6. The annual salary for the position of General Superintendent is the sum of
Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($350,000), but Cortines has declined to accept that
amount. Instead, the parties have agreed that the annual salary for the term of this
Agreement shall be the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000), which sum

3

shall be apportioned and paid on the payroll period in effect for twelve-month certificated
employees of the District.
7. Cortines declines to participate in the District's program of health insurance
for full-time District employees. Cortines understands that he is eligible to receive
subsidized employee only medical coverage in accordance with the terms of Districts
health plan and the Affordable Care Act. Cortines has determined that he wishes to
decline subsidized medical coverage under Districts health plan and warrants that no
inducement has been made by the District to cause him to waive this health coverage. In
lieu of health insurance, the District will honor the long-term care policy provision included
as part of Cortines' previous employment agreement as Senior Deputy Superintendent,
entered into in July 2008.
8. Because Cortines will resume the status of a full-time employee, the District
will make the normal employer's contributions to the California State Teachers Retirement
System on his behalf, as required by law.
9. Except as provided otherwise in Paragraph 8 above, the General
Superintendent shall be entitled to all benefits and rights available to twelve-month
certificated employees, including, but not limited to, vacation benefits (including the "cap" on
accrual of vacation benefits), as presently provided or as may be later provided by law or
rule of the Board of Education. At the conclusion of this contract on June 30, 2015, or on
any accelerated termination date established by either party pursuant to the provisions of
paragraph 3, above, the General Superintendent shall be entitled to lump sum
compensation for accrued vacation, earned under the terms of this Agreement, at the salary
rate effective at the time of the termination of this Agreement.
10. The Board of Education agrees to furnish the General Superintendent an
automobile and driver for his business use. The General Superintendent will keep adequate

4

records as specified by the Controller. The District will compute personal mileage, which will
be recorded as compensation to the General Superintendent.
11. The Board of Education agrees to pay the expenses for the General
Superintendent to attend appropriate professional and official meetings at the local, state
and national levels, subject to approval by the Board. In addition, the Board of Education
agrees to furnish appropriate professional expenses incurred in performing the duties of the
General Superintendent.
12. The Board of Education agrees to pay the annual fee for membership of the
General Superintendent in appropriate professional organizations.
13. Cortines declines to accept any housing allowance which might otherwise
have been made available to him as General Superintendent.
14. The parties understand that, in accordance with Government Code section
995 et seq., the District will provide a legal defense for the General Superintendent in any
action brought against him in his official or individual capacity, on account of any act or
omission in the course and scope of his employment with the District. The District will also
pay any judgment, compromise or settlement reached in conjunction with such defense, in
accordance with Government Code section 825 et seq.
15. Any disputes or claims otherwise cognizable in court, arising out of or relating
to termination of Cortines' assignment or employment shall be submitted to binding
arbitration in Los Angeles, California, pursuant to the Employment Arbitration Rules of the
American Arbitration Association.
16. This Agreement shall be governed by the law of the State of California. It is
the desire of the parties that the Agreement be binding and enforceable to the maximum
extent permitted by law. The parties agree that if, in any action or arbitration relating to the
Agreement, any provision, term, right, restriction, covenant or promise in the Agreement is

5

found to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason, then such provision, term, right,
restriction, covenant or promise shall be deemed modified (and the Board of Education
agrees to seek to have the court or arbitrator make such Modification) to the minimum
extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable. Should any provision of this Agreement
be declared or be determined by a court of law or other tribunal of valid jurisdiction, to be
illegal or invalid, the validity of the remaining parts, terms and provisions shall not be
affected thereby, and said illegal or invalid part, term or provision shall be deemed not to be
a part of this Agreement.
17. Copies of this Agreement shall be made available to the public upon request.
18. This Agreement is entered into subject to ratification by a vote of the
Board of Education, and is null and void and of no further force or effect if not so ratified.
19. Although there is a 30-day termination clause in this Agreement and therefore
no payment beyond 30 days is available, the following language is included to comply with
Government Code section 53260: This is to confirm that regardless of the term of this
Agreement, if this Agreement is terminated the maximum cash settlement that the General
Superintendent may receive shall be an amount equal to the monthly salary of the General
Superintendent multiplied by the number of months left on the unexpired term of the
Agreement. However, if the unexpired term of the contract is greater than 18 months, the
maximum cash settlement shall be an amount equal to the monthly salary of the General
Superintendent multiplied by 18.
20. Pursuant to Education Code section 35031, in the event the Board of
Education determines that the General Superintendent is not to be reelected or reemployed
as such upon the expiration of his term, he shall be given written notice thereof by the
Board of Education at least 45 days in advance of the expiration of his term (i.e., 45 days
prior to June 30, 2015). In the event the Board of Education fails to reelect or reemploy the

6

General Superintendent as such and the written notice herein provided for has not been
given, he shall be deemed reelected for a term of the same length as the one completed,
and under the same terms and conditions and with the same compensation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the District has caused this Agreement to be executed by
its School Board President ("Board President") on its behalf, and the Board President has


7

executed the same this ___ day of October, 2014, and Cortines has executed the
Agreement on or before said date.

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT




By: ________________________________
DR. RICHARD VLADOVIC
Board President
GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT




By: _______________________________
RAMON CORTINES