Chicago Superintendent of Schools J.C. Brizard has admitted that he does not know how to improve Chicago’s public schools. He did so by asking the Gates Foundation to supply millions of dollars to open another 100 charter schools. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-cps-charter-growth-20120517,0,7306759.story
Handing public schools over to private management is a frank admission of failure on the part of school leadership. It amounts to saying, “I don’t know how to improve them. Let’s turn the kids over to the private sector and see if they can do it.”
Of course, Brizard arrived with an uneven record after having served briefly as superintendent of schools in Rochester. While he was there, the low graduation rate fell even lower. And, even though he claimed test scores gains, the proficiency rate in English and math was less than 30% when he left for Chicago. Brizard claimed that the state had raised standards in 2010, but in fact the state education department admitted that it had dropped the passing mark on state tests year after year, creating a false image of progress. http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/jean-claude-brizard-report-card-uneven-performance-in-short-rochester-tenure/
It is a shame that Mayor Rahm Emanuel was unable to find a superintendent for the city’s public schools that was able to develop a plan to improve them. Not having a plan, Brizard is ready to throw in the towel and privatize them. But, then, as a graduate of the Broad Superintendents’ Academy, he probably thinks that this is a good strategy, rather than an admission of defeat and failure.
Diane
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Excellent reminder as to how valuable a certificate is of completing the Broad Superintendent’s Academy! :0) Just privatize, if you can’t succeed!
Hey, wait a minute. Wasn’t our esteemed Education Secretary Arne Duncan in charge over there? Didn’t he have a program called Renaissance 2010 that was supposed to solve every Chicago education problem two years ago? Are you suggesting that did not actually happen?
Well, darn it, if that’s the case, why is he using such a model for the entire country? I’m a little confused. How could he have gotten such a prestigious gig if he’s an abysmal failure? Finally, what value could that have added?
Renaissance 2010 is a front group for charter schools. It started well before 2010. Go on the web and type in Chicago School System and you will find part of the facts. The CEO’s have taken over our public schools. Even thought they say non profit etc., the companies who sell the system are making a fortune, so are some of the so called non profit foundations. These foundations are connected with companies who are making a fortune off the restructuring (destruction) of public education. For example see Bill and Milinda Gates Foundation. See what company he owns and how this foundations is paying and pushing for core standards. Wise us America. Our children and democratic principles are at risk.
For the record, Chicago doesn’t have a superintendent. We have a CEO. O
How sad that the states are lowering the bar instead of helping students to achieve higher levels. I realize, or course, that standardized testing is not the answer (portfolio based assessment works far better). Having effective data is a valuable resource, unfortunately, lowering the requirements skews that data. This whole issue is very real evidence that NCLB is an utter failure.
As a parent of two kids in Chicago’s schools, I totally agree. They consistently disinvest in neighborhood schools, then claim those schools are underperforming so they can open charters or turnarounds.
Chief Operating Officer Tim Cawley said just that: “If we think there’s a chance that a building is going to be closed in the next five to 10 years, if we think it’s unlikely it’s going to continue to be a school, we’re not going to invest in that building… We believe that we get more bang for our capital investment buck when we couple it with a program change in the building.” It’s a straight-up giveaway to private interests, and Emanuel is an enthusiastic booster of the plan.
Only one of three criteria for a “so called” good school has to do with academic achievement. Check the web for Chicago School System. This web actually list CEO as head of schools instead of Supt. Julie, you are correct. One has to follow the money trail to find what is behind this CEO take-over of the people’s schools and children. Maybe the best title for an article would be “They Steal Children Don’t They?”
Thank you Diane. The low-income, minority communities in Chicago have been ground zero for corporate reform since Paul Vallas was here 20 years ago. As you know, Vallas then went to Philly and later New Orleans. What’s happening in Philly is no coincidence and is a referendum on both mayoral control and the policymakers who destroyed the city’s public school system.
Fortunately, a recent Chicago Tribune poll showed parents side with the Chicago Teacher’s Union by a ratio of 2:1 over the mayor regarding education policy, particularly among African-American and Latino respondents. You can only destabilize so many communities and families before people start figuring out what is really going on. Until this becomes an election issue, our neighborhood schools will continue to be sabotaged in favor of research-refuted, community-rejected charter and turnaround schools.
Same push back in NYC. Mayor turns his back because he’s term limited and doesn’t care. But growing discontent will force candidates to listen.
Jean Claude visited our school a few weeks ago for a “listening” tour. Although he was charming and eloquent, he did little listening and was an expert at avoiding the question and diverting the conversation to his agenda. He is yet another puppet for the mayor. Mayor Emanuel appointed a school board of millionaires and charter school supporters and chose to send his own children to a private school, when he had his pick of the best public schools in Chicago. A private school with an average class size of 18 and art twice a day. This from a man who just last week threatened to raise class size to 55 students if the pension system was not reformed and talks of privatizing all art programs in the city. Chicago teachers are organized and united for the fight ahead.
The Idea that a superintendent – in Chicago or elsewhere – within the education system will admit failure is one that gives administrators more credit then they deserve. The last fourteen years saw a change in attitude. The people who took over the educational system – Bloomberg, Obama, Duncan, Gates, Rhee and “even” Emanuel – are all incompetent managers who have no interest or knowledge in public education. In the spirit of ‘ failure by design’ incompetent clueless managers taken over from professionals in order to fail and starve the public system to death only to create crisis. Naomi Klein refers to this phenomena as ‘the shock doctrine. Once the education system is devastated, politicians and business people can call for a “reform” or complete privatization as the only way to “save” it. The sole purpose is the transfer of unaccountable wealth from the public to just a few hands. Thought copying a fraudulent way to run operation – the business methods – seems strange especially when we witness the collapsing financial system, the same one who invented it.
Mr Bizard was a horrible failure here in Rochester. I don’t think there were any teachers who thought he had the brains to get out of the paper bag. Mr. Bizard angered teachers, staff, parents and the community at large with his management style (none), nepotism (his wife started 2 charter schools) and general interest in anyone’s opinion but his own and then up and left announcing he was taking the job in Chicago without having the good manners to even inform the community. Mr. Bizard is a tornado on a path of continuous destruction.
Good riddance!
John White was trained well at the Broad Superintendent Academy. He is also “an expert at avoiding the question and diverting the conversation to his agenda”. I thought it would only take about 5 years for Louisiana to see what a failure Jindal’s “reform” is. It seems they are professionals at cover ups. 😦
I don’t think it is going to take that long, but as Long as Bobby Jindal is the governor, he’ll be in the position.
Big snow storm: Bilandic
Bogus school reform: Rahm
I agree, this is just a way to get the charters in.
the main question that i and WBEZ reporter linda lutton have been asking is how this new proposal is going to be different from the previous Renaissance 2010 initiative, which also featured plans to create 100 new schools, many of them charters, whose results were mixed:
“Sounds like Ren2010 all over again” http://ow.ly/b1bzx
“100 new Chicago schools in 5 years…again” http://ow.ly/b0x1Y @WBEZeducation @lindalutton
you can read some more details about the PRI initiative here:
Meet The “PRI” | District 299: The Inside Scoop on CPS http://ow.ly/b1bwf