![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/media\/photo\/2010-02\/52266046.jpg\")
<\/img>L.A. schools Supt. Ramon C. Cortines resigned Thursday from the board of Scholastic Inc., a position that paid him compensation worth more than $150,000 last year. <\/p>\n<\/img>L.A. schools Supt. Ramon C. Cortines resigned Thursday from the board of Scholastic Inc., a position that paid him compensation worth more than $150,000 last year. <\/p>\n
Cortines\u2019 dual role with the company and the district received scrutiny in the wake of an article<\/a> on that subject last week in The Times. In defending his position with Scholastic in a recent interview, Cortines said he avoided any issue at the district involving the leading educational publishing company. And his senior staff said this recusal included any decision involving academic intervention programs. <\/p>\n Scholastic provides the district\u2019s primary reading intervention program for high schools. And, as of this year, Scholastic\u2019s program also became a key component for middle schools. The company has earned more than $5.2 million from the L.A. Unified School District since Cortines joined the school system as its No. 2 administrator in April 2008. He became superintendent in December 2008.<\/p>\n Cortines is paid $250,000 a year by L.A. Unified. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n The superintendent\u2019s brief letter to Scholastic’s president and chief executive officer, Richard Robinson, read as follows:<\/p>\n \u201cPer my telephone conversation with you and attorney Andy Hedden on Thursday, February 18, 2010, this correspondence serves as a formal notice of resignation from the corporate board at Scholastic Corporation. A hard copy of this correspondence has been mailed to you.\u201d<\/p>\n Copies of the letter were sent to members of the Board of Education and school district general counsel David Holmquist.<\/p>\n Board members had been placing no pressure on Cortines to resign from Scholastic last week, but it\u2019s unclear whether their views changed in the wake of increased public awareness of the matter.<\/p>\n — Howard Blume<\/p>\n Photo: L.A. Times file<\/em><\/p>\n \nMore breaking news in L.A. Now:<\/strong><\/p>\n L.A. judge praises Chris Brown for progress in meeting terms of sentence in Rihanna assault<\/a><\/p>\n Los Angeles city prosecutor targets medical marijuana dispensaries<\/a><\/p>\n 3 Tesla Motors employees killed in plane crash tentatively identified<\/a><\/p>\n UC Berkeley receives $16-million donation to expand diversity-related programs<\/a><\/p>\n Landslide near Interstate 10 in Pomona still moving<\/a><\/p>\n Temecula criticized for removing nude portrait from gallery<\/a><\/p>\n Landslide closes 10 Freeway interchange in Pomona<\/a><\/p>\n L.A. police seek public’s help in capturing Christmas Day rapist<\/a><\/p>\n