HBCSD Corruption

Proof of the lie:

Hiring the unqualified (no experience nor Doctor of Education degree) Pat Escalante as superintendent only saved HBCSD funds after being compared to her extremely over-qualified (30-year experience and a Doctor of Education degree) predecessor, Dr. Bruce Newlin.

(1) During his tenure as interim superintendent, formally retired Dr. Bruce Newlin with 30 years’ experience as superintendent at four different school districts, the last one consisting of about 14,000 students and 20 schools , was reportedly paid $176,000 by HBCSD in the 2010-2011 school year.  See also Hermosa Beach School District to cut superintendent's pay by Rob Kuznia, Daily Breeze, April 19, 2012.

(2) Pat Escalante was paid $134,964 in her last year as principal at El Rodeo School in Beverly Hills for the 2009-2010 school year.  Pat Escalante did not have superintendent experience nor did she have a Doctor of Education degree. During the same time period, HBCSD principals were earning $93,836.00 to $98,536/year.

(3) Pat Escalante then took a $9,276/year pay cut after BHUSD “promoted” her to Director of Pupil Services and Preschool Development at BHUSD in 2010-2011 school year. 

(4) At Hermosa Beach City School District, Pat Escalante took a pay cut of $16,932/year for ONE year after she was hired as principal at Valley School in 2011-2012 school year.  At HBCSD Pat Escalante was paid the normal salary for a principal with five years’ experience.

(5) Pat Escalante had already been let go from Beverly Hills Unified School District (she was unemployed) when she took a pay cut at HBCSD for ONE year.

(6) The following school year (July 2012- June 2013) with NO qualifications she was made superintendent at HBCSD.

(7) The next year, as superintendent at HBCSD Pat Escalante’s salary was increased by $29,844/year. 

(8)  In her second year as HBCSD Superintendent (July 2013 – June 2014) Pat Escalante’s salary was increased to $141,972/year or $16,284/year MORE than what she made at BHUSD when she was let go. 

(9) By 2020 when Pat Escalante retired from HBCSD, she was making $192,540/year including a $21,261.90 bonus for a small 1,200 student school district. 

(10) In addition, school board members paid another $40k for superintendent lessons for Pat Escalante from 2012 to 2014.