Nancy Kotowski, Monterey County superintendent of schools, will start overseeing the Alisal Union School District today after the state Board of Education unanimously appointed her as an interim state trustee.
Citing “the need to protect public interest,” the board decided to name Kotowski on Tuesday afternoon during an emergency meeting in Sacramento. She will have veto power over the Salinas district’s board of trustees until the state appoints a permanent trustee — and outlines his or her responsibilities and power — in May.
“My immediate goal is establish stability and prepare the District for an effective community meeting with the State Board of Education on April 14,” Kotowski said Tuesday. “This will be done by focusing all efforts on teaching and learning in the classrooms of the District.”
In March, the board assigned a state trustee to oversee two school districts in Monterey County: Greenfield Union and Alisal Union. The decision came after the districts chronically failed to meet academic standards set by the No Child Left Behind Act. The state board also found that problems “managing adult relationships” were ruining the districts’ ability to improve student achievement.