Educator Offered Compton Job
The Compton Unified School District is close to hiring a veteran New Mexico educator as its first locally appointed superintendent in eight years.
Jesse L. Gonzales, since 1989 the superintendent of schools in Las Cruces, N.M., received the offer Wednesday. He did not immediately accept it, but expressed interest and suggested changes in the offer.
Fausto Capobianco, a school district spokesman, declined to discuss the offer but said the school board had scheduled a meeting for Friday.
Two sources close to the superintendent search indicated that a deal could be reached by the weekend.
The state took over the 31,000-student district in 1993 because of financial mismanagement and academic deficiencies. State Supt. of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin began returning power to the local board in January, citing progress under the state-appointed superintendent.
Gonzales is known as a no-nonsense administrator who has purged gangs from the 22,300-student Las Cruces district and emphasized preparing students for work.
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