Ron Chandler, head of technology for LAUSD, abruptly resigned.
The Los Angeles Times said that Chandler oversaw two of the disrict’s most controversial and troubled programs: the $1.3 billion iPad purchase, which was former Superintendent John Deasy’s signature initiative, and the botched MISIS computer system.
“Chandler, 52, became associated with two major troubled projects. The first was a $1.3-billion effort to provide every student, teacher and campus administrator with an iPad, a flagship initiative of former Supt. John Deasy.
“Chandler was responsible for some of the problems that accompanied the iPad rollout at 47 schools last year. For example, immediately after receiving iPads last year, students at three high schools figured out how to delete the security filter and freely browse the Internet.
“Officials immediately took back the devices and some schools made little use of them for the remainder of the year….
“But Chandler’s position apparently became untenable in the wake of a second technology project called My Integrated Student Information System, or MISIS. The system eventually is expected to integrate all student records, keeping parents informed, allowing educators to tailor instruction and helping students stay on track with graduation and college requirements. But the system wasn’t ready and caused chaos across the sprawling district of about 600,000 students.
“As if to underscore the link between Chandler’s departure and MISIS, new Supt. Ramon C. Cortines tersely announced the resignation at the beginning of an update on the records system.
“There will be a change of leadership … Mr. Ron Chandler, Chief Information Officer, has resigned,” Cortines said. “We thank him for his service.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Cortines kept this clean and tidy…on the surface.
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He was less than transoarent. Some things are a mess., like this is. MISIS crisis, iPad.and keystone copping it on our dime! It’s not Cortenes’ at fault but him being neat and tidy about it seems like it is far from praiseworthy.lausd to make up the rules as they go along and so do you? At this point I dunno what the rules are of if we even have any . But can we quit pretending Cortines is a noble breath of fresh air? This emperor has no clothes either.
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It seems that there is way more going on than any of us ever knew. It is just so sad taking advantage of students because the money is there.
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For an indication of the competition for management software go to http://www.capterra.com/school-administration-software/
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Well now I see the problem. There are so many choices that Deasy decided it was easier to start from scratch than pick one. Next, we’ll be building and designing our own school buses.
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To give your readers a sense of how absolutely stupid the MISIS computer system was and is, consider the following “glitches” that teachers must confront on a daily basis:
1. System randomly presents “tiles” of students rather than rosters. This can be fixed with a keystroke, but is useless for high school attendance-taking.
2. System randomly presents student names on rosters alphabetized by first name–again, fixable with a keystroke, but why?
3. System requires multiple keystrokes to mark a student tardy, and there is no way to mark a student “tardy excused” if he or she comes to class late from meeting with the counselor, for example.
4. Right now the system is not usable for making referrals to counselors or deans, so classroom teachers must do it the old-fashioned way, by writing out the referral on paper. Perhaps this is in line with our departed superintendent’s desire to do away with student suspensions? (but probably just another glitch…)
5. Students appear and disappear on rosters with no explanation. In the old days, students had to physically enroll or withdraw, but now, no notice.
6. Counselors have similar issues in trying to input class changes, print out transcripts, etc.
7. Part of the problem, of course, is that the huge cuts in clerical staff due to the Great Recession have never been restored, so schools are physically unable to input the necessary data. I overheard one secretary attempting to “force enroll” a transfer student from another school, asking for the correct code number from some downtown entity.
I hope more bigshots from the Deasy era follow quickly in his footsteps!
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. I think these things need to be deconstructed so we can catch these criminals . There us something wrong with this situation . Maybe chandler is being played. Jones probably deserves a little due process too. At least in the court of public opinion. When you earn what she does , you are at will, baby. Since she was on the Prince George Misis and Deasy made a big deal outta getting her on board even though MISIS CRISIS went down there too.
As chandler ….That roll out was botched beyond reason, a total mess, but if he had blown it would he be there ? Not bloody likely. He was possibly held up in what he needed to do–get cases, research apps, prep for synch, charge, liability , uploads, replace text with ebooks , etc. I have to believe Deasy I’d a control freak like the Broad Father. It is often alluded to, but that stubborn hubris and impatience may be part of Deasy’s con . I think he has to be an idiot or an evil genius. When I read the BOE was buying more computers because the ones in schools aren’t working with MISIS , I was like oh yeah crony capitalism is moving full steam ahead. The computers in classroom at most schools are battered Dinosaurs l they had to be at least 10 years old which makes them 150 in human years. Why aren’t the iPads being used ? Schools have received those since 2011 and admin were sporting them even before then.
The BOC has read the Boe and the LAUSD the riot act about doing inventory . Are these people that stupid?
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