The head of a prestigious arts school in Washington, D.C., was hired on May 20 to serve as executive director of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Arts Education Program.
Rory Pullens, head of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, had been hired by the LAUSD in 2011 to run the district’s downtown arts high school, but Pullens backed out of the job, opting to remain in Washington, D.C.
The LAUSD board today approved a one-year contract that calls for Pullens to develop an arts curriculum for the district and increase the number of students taking part in arts education programs. Pullens will be paid $147,086 and will receive a $10,000 moving allowance and $250-a-month car allowance, according to the district.
“I’m thrilled that Rory will be joining the LAUSD,” Superintendent John Deasy said. “He brings an extraordinary background in the arts along with a string of astounding successes in his previous posts. Rory’s appointment furthers the commitment of the LAUSD to provide a world-class arts education to all of our students.”
According to the Ellington School’s website, its inner-city students have a 98 percent graduation rate and 95 percent college acceptance rate.
Pullens previously worked in Denver, where he designed Denver Public Schools’ first elementary arts school.
