Anaheim Observer Civic affairs in OC's largest city.
Last night, Anaheim Union High School District Board of Education members outbid each other to give Superintendent Michael Matsuda a 7% salary increase – and then voted to boost their own compensation by 3.5% because they were also giving the AUHSD’s various unions a 3.5% increase.
Board Item called 10.12 called for extending Matsuda’s contract for an additional year, to June 30, 2025.
Board member Brian O’Neal pointed the Board voted to increase Matsuda’s salary by 6% a year earlier in order to move him up the ranks of Orange County superintendent compensation.
“At that time, Mr. Matsuda’s salary was, according to the information we had, he was 15th in the county [out of 28 school districts],” said O’Neal.
O’Neal explained that despite the 6% salary increase, Matsuda was now ranked 16th in superintendent pay in Orange County, and proposed another 6% salary hike, which he termed “reasonable.”
Trustee Annemarie Randle-Trejo said she thought it was “egregious” that superintendents in districts with fewer students were paying paid more than Matsuda.
“We are a progressive game changer in the county,” said Randle-Trejo.
Board President Al Jabbar then one-upped his colleagues and proposed increasing Matsuda’s salary by 7%.
“The work that he has done in terms of changing the course of Anaheim Union High School District, and actually taking in not only statewide recognition, but also national recognition,” said Jabbar.
According to the California Department of Education, most AUSHD students score below average in statewide testing to measure achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. In various ELA categories (reading comprehension, written communication, etc.) the percentage of students scoring above average ranges from 24.31% to only 11.87%. In Math categories, the percentage scoring above average ranges from 16.94% to 14.54%
Mastuda and Jabbar are close political allies, and Mastuda blurs the political lines in his role as superintendent. He has publicly supported Jabbar’s past campaigns for the AUSHD school board – for example, attending Jabbar’s campaign kick-off fundraiser in 2018.
Jabbar is now running for the Anaheim City Council from District 3.
The AUHSD Board unanimously approved Jabbar’s motion to give Matsuda a 7% salary increase. Interestingly, for the past several years, the annual agenda item for raising Matsuda’s compensation is never accompanied by an exhibit explaining what is his salary and compensation package is.
Board of Education Bumps Its Own Pay
After boosting Matsuda’s salary, the Board members voted – quickly, unanimously and without any discussion – to raise their own compensation by 3.5% in order to “align” with the raises being awarded under the contracts the Board had approved for the district’s various unions.
In other words, the officials governing the district as stewards for the taxpayers give the unions – all of which have endorsed and contributed to their campaigns – a raise, and then cite that a reason to give themselves one.
The ONLY school district (of it’s size) to employ very old, outdated, poorly maintained, and mostly dangerous athletic fields. AUHSD is last in the county/state/country? to consider upgrading their athletic fields.
How are their funds being spent?
“Unlimited Them”
Great photo, just missing Jose Moreno…. Jabbar, Matsuda and Moreno are thick as thieves and they are crooks. This raise is just another example that they are full of crap and use the low income voters of anaheim to enrich themselves. Disney, the Angeles, property owners and other successful business owners are evil for engaging in the free market. And yet late at night when nobody is watching they use free market arguments to pad their bank accounts. Matsuda is not qualified to be a superintendent and Anaheim Union schools have gone backwards in every measurement under his leadership. When will the voters wise up? Stop electing Jabbar Moreno and their puppets – this is obscene.
What these people should do is let families transfer out of the district if they wish to do so. My neighbors daughter was denied a transfer and was beat up by another student. My child was bullied in JR high and was also denied a transfer plus the education he was getting was a joke. When families want to transfer if it’s for education purpose or safety they need to let them transfer and not keep them trapped in a district they don’t want to be in. Sad to have seen my other neighbor sell his house years back so his daughters could be safe and get a great education. Instead they are using all this money to give themselves raises and of course they can because they are trapping families that want to leave.
These people have harmed students and put stress on families. Anaheim does not need people like them public office.
Great point! Instead of shady raises and jobs for their family members. Compete on the open market for students just like you say this joke of a boss needs a raise to be competitive on the open market. Invest in facilities, invest in security, invest in teachers. People would want to stay instead of Berlin style walls to keep them in.
In the Next election, Al Jabbar’s seat is open as he tries to climb the ladder. Every credible outside organization has endorsed Billy Joe Wright. AUHSD will put boots on the ground as teachers, administrators and politicians try to keep a puppet in place. If people are really outraged by the Moreno, Jabbar, Rueles Matsuda fraud- they must see through the lies and vote these turds out.
By boots on the ground… you don’t imply that Matsuda will use students to get his preferred candidates elected do you?
That would seem unethical to me. But the bros leadership, which named itself the politburo is completely democratic right?
By boots on the ground… you don’t imply that Matsuda will use students to get his preferred candidates elected do you?
That would seem unethical to me. But the bros leadership, which named itself the politburo is completely democratic right?
Don’t forget Magcalas, he is part of the Matsuda “leadership.”
Matsuda/AUHSD have their hands out again, while they give themselves raises they are “soft opening” higher taxes for area homeowners. They have sent out mailers to get our opinions on the state of our area schools. The flyer calls our schools “innovative” but outdated. The poll included in the mailer tries to skew the votes by their wording. Make no mistake they want to raise taxes for area property owners by placing a bond measure on the November ballot. THIS LEADERSHIP IS PRODUCING FAILING SCORES AND THEY ARE FAILING OUR CHILDREN.
This group needs to be investigated too. They need to be voted out ASAP. We all have paid them enough.
District 3 voting NO on Jabbar is a step in the right direction.
Please do a story on AUHSD and their recent introduction of a bond measure that they are putting on the November ballot. They want to raise our property taxes during this economic downturn again? Please investigate and expose them.