Don’t Spare the Clout

Hugh Jones, the Los Angeles Unified School District’s new “business czar,” brings to the job a wealth of top-level business management experience, something the school district lacks. But as an outsider (he was a vice president of Kaiser Permanente), he will need the unyielding support of Supt. Ruben Zacarias to function in a culture dominated by insiders.

Zacarias must make it clear throughout LAUSD headquarters that his new chief administrative officer has the power to hire and fire as he oversees the district’s complicated financial matters and immense business functions. Jones needs strong authority and an independent team to reform the district’s clubby business-side bureaucracy. A presumption of cooperation between Jones and the superintendent is not enough.

The new CAO bears a name confusingly similar to that of the district’s current chief financial officer, Henry Jones, one of the people he will supervise. But there can be no confusion about who is in charge.

As Hugh Jones begins to assess the strengths and the many weaknesses of the LAUSD’s business operations, he should start with the dysfunctional technology division, which is in charge of computer systems for the district. An independent audit found that important area crippled by a failure of accountability and low productivity. Jones also needs to scrutinize the business and accounting departments for excessive overtime. His authority includes Proposition BB bond spending for construction and repair. But in the absence of an independent inspector general, Jones should also assume auditing authority over other major projects, like the controversial Belmont Learning Center.

As he tackles this tough job, Jones should take time to visit with William H. Magee, who three years ago lasted just five months as the school district’s only previous business and financial czar. Magee, a former Arco executive, lacked the authority to hire and fire and bring in his own team. He was undermined constantly by district lifers. Jones can learn some valuable lessons from Magee’s bad experience.

Zacarias’ promise to hire a business czar, so the superintendent can concentrate on student achievement, was one of the best ideas to emerge from the district’s search for a new schools chief. He now needs to assure that Hugh Jones has the tools he needs to succeed.