New SCUSD Superintendent Jonathan Raymond
The new superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District says he’ll focus on transparency, accountability and creating a “culture of collaboration.” Jonathan Raymond introduced himself to the community Monday.
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Jonathan Raymond didn’t get too specific during his first press conference Monday. Raymond said he wants to take his first few months in Sacramento to get to know the community and the district. But he did lay out some basic beliefs, like holding teachers and schools accountable:
Raymond: “I believe that adults must be held responsible for their work, and I also believe it is important that they have the support that they need to be successful.”
And on the role of charter schools as an alternative to traditional schools:
Raymond: “Frankly, I think competition is good. If charter schools are doing a better job, well then, we should be learning from them.”
Raymond also says he supports the politically sensitive issue of merit pay for teachers – but only by using multiple ways to measure a teacher’s achievement, not just their students’ test scores. That’s something the president of the city’s teachers’ union declined to comment on. But Linda Tuttle, who met with Raymond earlier in the day, says she thinks the new superintendent is someone the union can work with.
Tuttle: “He needs to take his time and really get to know the Sacramento area. So I think we have to take a wait and watch and take time and get to know him and let him get to know our district.”
Raymond comes from a school district in Charlotte, North Carolina. He spent two and a half years there as Chief Accountability Officer, after previously working in the private sector. Raymond officially starts his job on August 21st. He replaces interim superintendent Susan Miller, who held the job for a year after the previous district head retired.