In a remote corner of East San Diego County, Dehesa School District serves just one K–8 school and fewer than 100 students. But its superintendent, Bradley Johnson, is being paid $252,000+ per year — a compensation more commonly seen in districts serving hundreds of thousands. As of 2023, Transparent California reported $252,216 in total compensation, though internal district sources suggest this figure has since increased.
To understand how disproportionate that is, consider Dr. Karla Estrada, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). She earns $378,000 annually to oversee curriculum and academic strategy for over 500,000 students — a role functionally similar to what Johnson handles in Dehesa, but at a scale thousands of times greater.
Estrada’s cost per student? $0.75.
Johnson’s? $2,522.
And as the numbers show, even LAUSD’s top leadership — including Superintendent Alberto Carvalho — costs less per student than Johnson does.
Even LAUSD’s Top Executives Cost Less Per Student
Some defenders of Dehesa’s leadership might argue that the only fair comparison is to LAUSD’s General Superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, who earns just over $500,000 in total compensation. That’s fine — let’s make that comparison.
Carvalho runs the largest school district in California and the second-largest in the nation, overseeing more than 500,000 students, thousands of staff, round-the-clock operations, and a multibillion-dollar budget.
His cost per student? Just $1.00.
Bradley Johnson’s? $2,522.
That’s over 2,500 times higher — in a district with one school.
But the more accurate functional comparison is Dr. Karla Estrada, LAUSD’s Deputy Superintendent of Instruction. Her job — while several tiers below Carvalho — actually mirrors Johnson’s more closely: she oversees academic strategy, curriculum, and instruction across the entire district. It’s the instructional side of what Johnson is responsible for in Dehesa.
The difference?
She does it for 500,000 students.
He does it for fewer than 100.
Her per-student cost? $0.75.
Johnson’s? $2,520.
Name | Title | Total Compensation | Students Served | Cost per Student |
Bradley Johnson | Superintendent, Dehesa SD | $253,000 | ~100 | $2,522 |
Dr. Karla Estrada | Deputy Supt. of Instruction, LAUSD | $378,000 | ~500,000 | $0.75 |
Alberto Carvalho | General Superintendent, LAUSD | $500,818 | ~500,000 | $1.00 |
Devora Navera Reed | General Counsel, LAUSD | $422,134 | ~500,000 | $0.84 |
Pedro Salcido | Deputy Supt., Business Services & Ops, LAUSD | $401,764 | ~500,000 | $0.80 |
Even LAUSD’s legal and operations leadership — roles that don’t even exist in a one-school district like Dehesa — operate more efficiently per student.
No matter how you slice it — by hierarchy or by function — Bradley Johnson’s compensation isn’t just disproportionate. It’s indefensible.
That salary might be defensible if Johnson had been a highly qualified leader brought in under exceptional circumstances — but the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) showed that wasn’t the case.
Credential Violation Confirmed
A concerned parent first tipped East of 52 that Superintendent Bradley Johnson may not hold the required credentials to serve as a district superintendent in California. While the Dehesa audit did not reference credentialing, a search of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) public database confirms that, as of July 19, 2025, Johnson does not hold a valid Administrative Services Credential — the credential required by state law for superintendents of public school districts.
Under California Education Code §35028, an individual must hold both a valid teaching credential and an Administrative Services Credential to be eligible for appointment as a district superintendent. Johnson appears to hold neither. This raises serious questions about oversight at both the district and county levels — particularly as Dehesa School District continues to manage millions in public education funds while serving fewer than 100 local students.
Although Education Code §35029 allows a local governing board to waive credential requirements for the chief administrative officer of a district, no such waiver appears on file with the Commission, The more concerning question, why would a board approve hiring with not even a teaching credential? A public search of the CTC database confirms no credential history for Johnson, and no evidence of a waiver or exemption has been presented. It’s highly unusual for a district to operate without ensuring proper credentialing for its superintendent, especially in the post-A3 environment.
Who Approved This — and Why?
The decision to pay a quarter-million-dollar salary to a superintendent overseeing fewer than 100 students (from Dehesa) — didn’t happen in a vacuum. It was signed, sealed, and approved by the Dehesa School Board, a five-member body with a power structure that raises serious questions about conflict of interest and oversight.
Currently, all five board seats are held by members of just two families: three seats are controlled by the White family, and the remaining two are held by members of the Pham family. That means every hiring decision, contract approval, and financial action taken by the district runs through a closed loop of family control. And appointments of board members, although district records state elected, yes they handle appointments as well. Was this the board that approved such decisions?
Decision that include:
- The decision to hire Bradley Johnson, despite a valid Administrative Services Credential appearing on California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).
- The approval of his salary and benefits.
- The appointment of Johnson to a dual role as both Superintendent and Chief Business Officer, giving him control of instruction and finance with no internal checks.
There is no independent fiscal officer, no HR director, no instructional lead — just Johnson. And the board. And they answer only to each other, although we cant forget there is also and executive assistant Deborah Schwiettzer, and Francesca Martinez, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services.
Despite no valid Administrative Services Credential appearing on California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), the board appears to have taken no public action to remedy the issue, adjust his compensation, or notify the public.
What’s happening in Dehesa isn’t unique — it’s part of a larger pattern across small school districts in California.
A Pattern in Micro-Districts
California has more than 1,000 school districts, many of them extremely small. While local control is often cited as a benefit, small districts also carry major risks: low public scrutiny, minimal press coverage, and board members often unfamiliar with the legal or financial standards expected of public agencies.
This is how a single-school district ends up paying $252,000 to a superintendent who wasn’t credentialed — while major districts pay far less per student to leaders overseeing entire cities’ worth of children.
What This Reveals
Dehesa School District potentially approved a $252,000 annual compensation package for a superintendent who lacked the required administrative credential at the time of hire — and assigned him control over both instructional and business operations. The board responsible for allowing this to continue is composed entirely of members from two families and has taken no public action in response.
This isn’t a disagreement over educational strategy or funding priorities. It’s a breakdown of basic governance, oversight, and compliance.
The compensation and credentialing issues surrounding the superintendent don’t exist in isolation. They reflect a broader pattern already visible in Dehesa’s governance structure, public accountability practices, and community response. With questions mounting about board member eligibility, parent grievances, and a growing number of administrative concerns, the district remains under active scrutiny — both from the public and from within its own records.
What Happens Next
The issues raised here — from excessive compensation to credential violations and closed-loop board governance — point to a district that has drifted far from basic accountability.
Dehesa isn’t just a small district with big problems. It appears to be a case study in what happens when oversight fails, checks and balances are eroded, and public trust is treated as optional.
The facts are clear from where the parents sit. The questions remain.
Community members, parents, and staff deserve answers — and change.
Have tips or documents related to Dehesa or other East County school districts?
Contact the newsroom confidentially.
Credential Search Documentation & Evidence
To verify whether Bradley J. Johnson, Superintendent of Dehesa School District, holds the required Administrative Services Credential, a search was conducted using the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) Educator Search Tool.
A PDF of the results is included below, with the following screenshots:
CTC Search Results for “Bradley Johnson”– A list of all ten individuals with that name, none matching “Bradley Joseph Johnson.”
Bradley James Johnson – The only Bradley J. Johnson listed; does not hold any credentials.
Bradley Johnson with no middle name- – No credentials listed.
Based on this search, no listing appears for the Bradley Joseph Johnson, and no listed Bradley Johnson holds the credential required by California Education Code §35028. Additionally, no waiver under §35029 appears to be on file.
Correction (July 19, 2025): An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Dehesa School District’s audit referenced Superintendent Bradley Johnson’s credential status. This claim originated from a tip citing an audit, the credential violation was independently confirmed by East of 52 using the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s public database, which shows that Johnson does not hold the required Administrative Services Credential. At the time of original publication, Dehesa’s 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 audits were not publicly posted.
