Alisal Union to move principal supervision under Educational Services; board to review job‑description changes Nov. 19

Superintendent Monica Anzo told the Alisal Union School District board on Oct. 29 that the administration will bring revised principal job descriptions to the Nov. 19 meeting to clarify who supervises and evaluates site leaders. The proposal would place principal supervision under Educational Services, reporting to the Deputy Superintendent or the Deputy’s designee, and align evaluations with California standards for instructional leaders.

"As the superintendent, I'm still the boss of everybody," Anzo said, describing the proposal as adding a coaching and accountability layer rather than removing the superintendent’s authority. Deputy Superintendent Clara Fernandez said the change is intended to strengthen instructional leadership, better align evaluation criteria with job duties and free principals to focus on teaching and learning.

Board members pressed for details about how the shift would work in practice. Trustee Jose Antonio Jimenez said he supports moving principals under Educational Services so instructional leadership expertise can better support site work. Several trustees, including Guadalupe Guilpaz Barrera, asked how often principals would be evaluated and whether a designee without principal experience could provide the coaching principals need.

Fernandez said the district intends to use a multi‑measure evaluation framework, set goals with principals, and provide coaching. She also said board policy already allows a two‑year evaluation cycle for principals who receive satisfactory evaluations; the goal of the current changes is to make supervision, evaluation and job descriptions consistent and contemporary. Staff said directors who already work closely with principals would have aligned job descriptions if they serve as designees.

The board did not take a binding vote on the job descriptions on Oct. 29. The administration will return with written job‑description revisions and an organizational chart for board review on Nov. 19.