State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson has appointed La Tanya Kirk-Carter to serve as interim administrator of the Inglewood Unified School District after accepting the resignation of Administrator Kent Taylor.
“This change is in the best interests of taxpayers, students, and employees of the Inglewood Unified School District,” Torlakson said. “I’m confident that our work to address the district’s troubled finances will proceed without interruption.”
Taylor stepped down after the California Department of Education (CDE) learned of financial commitments he had made without the required CDE approval and prior to the completion of a financial review and plan to restore the district to fiscal health.
Kirk-Carter previously served as Assistant Superintendent of Business Services at the district. She will serve in an interim capacity until a new permanent administrator is named.
The state took over the district in September under legislation passed at the request of the district that provided up to $55 million in emergency state loans to help the district meet its financial obligations.
The legislation required the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to assume all the legal rights, duties, and powers of the governing board of the district.
Inglewood Unified School District is the ninth school district in California to request an emergency loan, thus triggering the state takeover, since 1990. Since then, local governance has been returned to four of these districts.
