There's an effort to oust the superintendent the Los Angeles Unified School District hired two years ago amid great fanfare. KPCC's Adolfo Guzman-Lopez has the story.

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez: The agenda for the L.A. Unified school board's closed session included the item "Employee Evaluation: Superintendent of Schools." Brewer said he learned the day before that it wouldn't be the usual chat about his progress, but a discussion about buying out the remaining two years on his contract.

David Brewer: Basically I was informed by the board, you know, by the board, it was quite obvious that something was happening. I was informed and I'm just going to leave it at that.

Guzman-Lopez: The Los Angeles Times reports that school board president Monica Garcia is leading the effort to oust Brewer. The president of L.A. Unified's teachers union said that Brewer, a former U.S. Navy admiral with no significant school district experience, is a poor fit for the job.

Brewer said he wants to remain on the job so he can continue policies that have led to higher test scores.

Brewer: I inherited a terrible, terrible payroll system problem, resolved that; inherited a child abuse reporting problem, solved that. And of course, we're now in the worst budget crisis in the history of the state of California.

Guzman-Lopez: Earlier this year Brewer hired former interim superintendent Ramon Cortines – a former deputy to L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa – to take charge of instruction matters.

University of Southern California education researcher Priscilla Wohlstetter says that choice confirms a school district leader needs to know education and politics.

Priscilla Wohlstetter: I'm wondering if what we're seeing in Los Angeles surfaces or suggests the need for a new model of leadership in some of the very mega school districts.

Guzman-Lopez: L.A. Unified's school board is again set to meet in closed session next week.