SAN DIEGO–The San Diego Unified School District Board of Education voted to extend the contract for Superintendent Cindy Marten and approve a new teachers contract, which includes a 3.7 percent pay increase.
The teachers contract was ratified this month with 99 percent of the vote by the members of the San Diego Education Association. The contract extension for Superintendent Marten means she will continue to lead the state’s second-largest school district through the 2022-23 school year.
“The key to the ongoing ability of students in the district to succeed and thrive is around stability – not just stability for the sake of stability, but stability around a very clear strategy that has been designed to help each and every one of our students achieve to their fullest potential,” said Trustee Richard Barrera. “We’re privileged to have Superintendent Marten leading our district.”
In explaining their votes, Board of Education trustees talked about the strong academic progress being made by San Diego Unified students. San Diego Unified schools were recognized last year for outperforming other big-city districts in the nation on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the Nation’s Report Card. “San Diego Unified blew the socks off” the NAEP tests, said Mike Casserly, executive director for the Council of the Great City Schools.
The new president of the State Board of Education, Linda Darling-Hammond, recently co-authored a report for the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) showing that San Diego Unified students outperform their peers across the rest of the state academically. The report, “California’s Positive Outliers: Districts Beating the Odds” specifically highlights the academic gains of historically disadvantaged communities, including African American and Latino students.
The extension approved for Superintendent Marten’s contract keeps the education leader in place for another four years, the maximum length allowed under state education code. The board vote on the extension 3-1 with Trustees Barrera, John Lee Evans, and Kevin Beiser in support. Dr. Sharon Whitehurst-Payne opposed, and Dr. Mike McQuary was absent.
Following the meeting, Superintendent Marten thanked the Board for its continued support of the work taking place across the district. The 17-year classroom teacher said she continues to be as enthusiastic about the potential of San Diego students as when she first assumed the role of superintendent in 2013.