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# Hiring of special ed administrator causes rancor
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/see-keys-seize-page-5-hiring-of-special-ed-administrator-causes-rancor/
- Published: 2005-01-12T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T05:59:57.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import

*School board expected to appoint Walker to post this month*

*By CORTNEY FIELDING Special to the Daily Press*

DISTRICT HDQTRS. — With an annual expense of more than $150,000 a year, the school district’s newest staff position will also prove to be one of its costliest.

The Santa Monica-Malibu school board sided with schools superintendent John Deasy when, in a rare closed session, it voted to hire a new administrator to look over the special education department’s $3.5 million budget.

District officials on Tuesday announced their pick for the position, Dr. Tim Walker, most recently the director of special education for the Glendale Unified School District. With a $153,000 annual salary, he will become the district’s second-highest paid administrator. Deasy commands an annual salary of $172,350.

Because the school board did-n’t allow public comment before taking a vote, the 5-2 decision to hire a new employee while the district is still involved in a hiring freeze drew criticism from the community.

The price tag that went along with the position also caused tension between Deasy and members of the Special Education Advisory Board, who felt the expense could be spent in other areas of special education that desperately need attention.

The advisory board, which weighs in on matters pertaining to special education in the district, urged the board to oppose the new position because it required trimming a budget they felt was already terribly underfunded.

Tricia Crane, the advisory board’s chair, said the funds were needed more at the “student-teacher level.” Almost 15 percent of the district’s children require special education services and new educators are needed to meet the demand, she said.

“That $150,000 could have hired many more new teachers,” Crane said.

The advisory board’s apprehension about the expense was heightened because of the opposition it had when the district was approving its strategic plan.

Crane said school board members expressed concerns over adopting the plan due to lack of funds “before the idea to add a special education position was brought up.”

“It was real difficult for us to hear that they didn’t want to approve a proposal you’ve worked so hard on because there isn’t enough money, and then hear about $150,000 being spent one month later,” she said.

Still, now that the decision has been made, the advisory board hopes Walker will help the troubled department.

“We always need more talent in education,” Crane said.

Before Walker can get started, he must first receive formal approval from the board. On Jan. 20, the school board will hear the recommendation to appoint Walker and make its final decision.

Phone calls to Deasy went unreturned, but in a press statement released Tuesday, he said “Tim Walker has the knowledge, skills and abilities to implement the strategic plan for special education.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 12, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/011205.pdf?ref=smdp.com)