Who Should Be CCUSD's Next Superintendent? Take The Survey

CULVER CITY, CA — It's narrowed down to two potential superintendent finalists for Culver City Unified School District's Board of Education and now the board wants to know what you think.

The school board moves closer to finding a new candidate to replace Leslie Lockhart and asks the public to give their feedback following the national search. People can watch the videos (below) and respond via survey links (also bel0w).

Lockhart announced her retirement from the District earlier this year after 23 years, including four years as superintendent.

"Both candidates are impressive," the district said.

Here are the two finalists:

• Quoc Tran, the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services at Franklin-McKinley School District in San Jose
• Alfredo Ortiz, the Local District West Community of Schools Administrator at Los Angeles Unified School District

Quoc Tran

Tran has previously served as Associate Superintendent of Educational Services at Soledad
Unified, and Alisal Union school districts, in Monterey County, California. He holds an electrical
engineering degree from California State University – Los Angeles and has taught fourth and fifth
grade, bilingual (Vietnamese) mathematics and science at the high school levels in Los Angeles.
Tran is bilingual and bi-literate in Vietnamese and has earned a master’s degree in educational
leadership from CSULA. As an adjunct professor at Claremont Graduate University, he was a co-
recipient of a U.S. Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad Scholarship, Project VOICE-CGU
(2010-2017) where he co-led a team of 12 future teachers on a six-week immersive study trip to
Vietnam.

In addition to teaching and his engineering background, Tran has experience as a Director in the areas of English Learner Services, Equity Programs, Multi-tiered System of Support, Curriculum and Instruction, Research, Data Analysis and Assessments, State and Federal Projects, and Public Information and Communication.

Having grown up in the Vietnam War; and arrived in the US at the age of 17 after spending years in a refugee camp in Malaysia, Tran has committed to focus his life work to confront issues impacting diversity, inclusion and equity in the public education arena.

“The great poet Maya Angelou once said, ‘... that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength,’” Tran said. “Should an opportunity to serve as the next superintendent of Culver City Unified School District be granted, I would be honored to bring my passion and commitment to achieve the beauty and strength of the diversity that we are, the inclusion that we practice, and the equity outcome that we create for all students.”

Alfredo Ortiz

Alfredo Ortiz is married to his best friend and is the father of three. He has proudly worked in the education field since 1989, serving in various capacities: classroom teacher, Title I and Bilingual Coordinator, Assistant Principal, Principal, Instructional Specialist, Director of Elementary Schools, Community of Schools Administrator, and Director of Dual Language Programs. He has also consulted for the Los Angeles County Office of Bilingual Education and publishing companies around curriculum design and professional development.

A product of the Los Angeles public school system, having attended Hoover Elementary School, Berendo Junior High School, and Manual Arts High School, Ortiz earned his bachelor’s degree from Whittier College and his master’s degree in educational leadership from the California State University – Los Angeles.

“While I am originally from Central America, I consider myself an Angeleno through and through,” Ortiz said. “I arrived in Los Angeles in 1975 and have made it my home since. Growing up as an English learner had a profound influence on my educational trajectory and the work I have focused on as an educator. I am passionate about providing all our students, regardless of color, ability, socio-economic status, or place of origin, with access to equitable, quality instructional programs."

“Like the city that cradles it, Culver City Unified School District represents the best of what California has to offer – diversity, culture, and community pride," he said. "It would be an honor to be associated with the Culver City community and serve the students and stakeholders of CCUSD.”

The information provided in the Community Impressions survey will be for internal use by the District’s superintendent search firm, Ray and Associates, only. The survey will close at 8 a.m. Monday.

People can watch video interviews of the two candidates:

And respond to the survey in English, Spanish or Japanese.

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