School Board gives good marks to superintendent

By Emily Richmond

Tuesday, June 25, 2002 | 9:45 a.m.

Clark County schools Superintendent Carlos Garcia received high marks Monday for his second-year job performance evaluation, School Board members said.

Clark County School Board President Sheila Moulton said she was pleased with Garcia's efforts to improve student achievement, particularly Garcia's plan to have every student in the district enrolled in algebra by the eighth grade.

The seven-member School Board met behind closed doors for more than five hours to discuss the evaluation before Garcia was invited in, Moulton said. The session was closed to the public.

"The process was time-consuming and demanding, but I believe we are all satisfied with how it was carried out," Moulton said. "Mr. Garcia has done a fine job and will continue to do a fine job."

The board evaluated Garcia using a variety of criteria, including how well he works with the five regional superintendents, district staff and teachers. He was also judged on his responsiveness to parent complaints and his oversight of the district's various administrative offices.

Garcia will receive a 2 percent pay hike, the same approved by the state Legislature for teachers for the 2002-03 school year, as well as any other increases negotiated by the district's administrators' association. Garcia was offered a $10,000 bonus last year but refused it, noting ongoing budget shortfalls districtwide. No bonus was offered this year because of budget concerns.

Garcia's next evaluation will come in February, so that it will coincide with testing results and graduation rates from the previous year.

Garcia said this morning he was glad to have the board's full support and appreciated their suggestions and recommendations.

"It's an exciting time, an exciting job," Garcia said. "We have a lot of work to do, but I don't have any doubts we will continue to do the best for our kids."