School Superintendent Earning More Than $600K Fired

Superintendent Jose Fernandez of the Centinela Valley Union High School District earned over $660,000 a year in pay and benefits.

The Centinela Valley Unified School District Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday night to fire Superintendent Jose Fernandez, following reports that his compensation last year exceeded $663,000.

Fernandez came under fire in February when hundreds of people gathered at an emergency school board meeting to address reports that he was earning more money than the president of the United States.

The Centinela Valley Union High School District serves four high schools and 6,600 students in Lawndale and Hawthorne. In comparison, Los Angeles Unified has 10 times as many students, and the superintendent of that district earns about $390,000 a year.

According to his contract, Fernandez is entitled to a nine percent pay raise and $1,000 a month in expenses.

Fernandez took over when the district was nearly bankrupt.

Since then, residents have approved bonds for school construction. Additionally, more students are staying in school and graduation rates are up.

Fernandez was also given a $900,000 loan with a 2 percent interest rate to buy a home.

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