Archives for category: Administrators, superintendents
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Tennessee: Disastrous Choice for State Commissioner of Education

By dianeravitch
January 19, 2019 //
25

Newly elected Governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee, picked a privatizer from the Texas Education Agency to be State Commissioner of Education. Penny Schwinn, chief deputy commissioner for academics in Texas, is Lee’s choice. She is a supporter of school choice, including vouchers, which was never passed in Texas despite multiple efforts by the hard-right there. For some reason, she is described as a “reformer.” Apparently if you want to underfund public schools by diverting money to religious and private schools, that qualifies you to be called a “reformer.” The word “reformer” has become anathema.

In Texas, rural Republicans combined with urban Democrats to stymie vouchers in the legislature, year after year.

Tennessee also has rural Republicans who will question why public money should be diverted from their community schools to religious schools.

Schwinn has promised to fix Tennessee’s longstanding testing mess. Testing in Texas has been used to label and stigmatize schools and students. Remember the phony claims of a “Texas miracle” that brought NCLB to the nation? Legislators in the Lone Star State still has a zealous faith in standardized tests.

Worse, Schwinn was controversial in Texas.

Schwinn moves from Texas amid controversy there.

A September audit found Schwinn failed to report a conflict of interest between her and a subcontractor who got a $4.4 million contract to collect special education data. As a result, the Texas state commissioner canceled the contract, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The canceled contract cost the state more than $2 million, according to the Texas Tribune.

The Dallas Morning News also reported that Schwinn told auditors that while she had a professional relationship with the subcontractor, she didn’t try to influence the contract. In the wake of audit, Texas revamped its procurement process, the Texas Tribune reported.

Schwinn will need to help secure an assessment vendor to administer the TNReady test with the state’s contract with Questar Assessment set to expire.

This is not an auspicious start.

Categories Accountability, Administrators, superintendents, Tennessee, Testing, Texas, Vouchers

Red Queen in L.A.: Who Is Austin Beutner?

By dianeravitch
January 18, 2019 //
24

The blogger Red Queen in L.A., aka Sara Roos, has researched the career of Los Angeles Superintendent Austin Beutner. He has a long history in the financial world. He is a Venture capitalist, or as some would say, a vulture capitalist. He is totally unqualified to preside over the second-largest School District in the nation.

He was brought in by Eli Broad’s purchased boardmajority to decapitate public education in Los Angeles, to destabilize it, disrupt it, break it into pieces, and hand off more schools to charter operators.

Read his history to understand his thinking. He knows nothing about education, teaching, learning, or children.

Roos leaves out Beutner’s role as a board member of AIM, the company that owns the National Enquirer.

“Do not look to Austin Beutner’s LAUSD to negotiate any sort of fair settlement with the defenders and practitioners of public education. Our City’s establishment did not elevate him to this position to manifest a lifetime’s achievement of good educational practice. He is installed to play out his life’s work of financial chicanery. That’s the basis of his own education, it’s what got him his fortune and it’s what will be the demise of ours.

“Now is the time to demand Austin Beutner’s resignation. He’s not here to fix what’s broken in public education. He’s here to profit from turning public education private. We the public need to fund our children’s education properly, collectively and equitably, and we need to vote in accountable public officials (Jackie Goldberg 4 LAUSD5!) to do so. Call your schoolboard member and tell them like it is: 1-213-241-1000 .”

Categories Administrators, superintendents, Los Angeles

Robert Rendo Calls On NY Regents to Oust Elia

By dianeravitch
December 26, 2018 //
19

Robert Rendo, educator and citizen, sent the following email to the New York Board of Regents:

Dear Honorable Regents,

As a private citizen and taxpayer, I urgently call upon you to reconsider Mary Ellen Elia’s position and to demand her resignation with a replacement that will truly advocate for children, families, taxpayers, and do what is right empirically and non-politicized for public education; that includes promulgating strict laws to prevent data mining and to protect student privacy, as well as increased funding to reduce class sizes and supplement far more greatly populations at risk.

As it stands to date, Commissioner Elia:

1. Has ignored parents: Even though more than 1 in 5 NYS parents have refused the state’s tests, the tests and the standards on which they are based remain largely unchanged.

2. Has deceived parents: Under her guidance, the state education department has misrepresented minor changes in the standards and tests as more significant than they really are.

3. Has formulated and implemented polices that are damaging to children and teachers: Rather than championing developmentally-appropriate practices based in research, Elia’s State Education Department has pushed policies like untimed testing (which may actually be illegal as well as abusive) and canned curriculum (which stifles creativity and engagement for students and teachers alike).

4. Has misplaced priorities: The state should be focused on insuring equity of resources, not on punishing schools.

5. Has not shown the will to forcefully protect all children–whether from racist school board members, data-mining corporations, or indefensible assignments (like the one where students were asked to make arguments in defense of the Holocaust).

I, along with dramatically and rapidly growing numbers other state residents and taxpayers, vehemently call for Ms. Elia’s immediate removal and replacement, and I hold you, along with our state legislators, accountable and will continue to watch hawkishly your governance as you continue in your noble and critical path for public education and our precious children and families of NY State.

Thank you for taking this under your careful review.

Sincerely,
Robert Rendo
Ossining, NY

cc: NYS Allies for Public Education Steering Committee
Jamaal Bowman
Deborah Abramson-Brooks
Chris Cerrone
Jeanette Deutermann
Amy Gropp Forbes
Johanna Garcia
Kevin Glynn
Eileen Graham
Leonie Haimson
Michael Hynes, Ed.D
Jake Jacobs
Kemala Karmen
Marla Kilfoyle
Jessica McNair
Lisa Rudley
Janine Sopp
Bianca Tanis
Katie Zahedi, Ph.D

cc:
Diane Ravitch
Carol Burris
Susan Lee Schwartz
Leonie Haimson
Assembly Woman Sandra Galef
State Senator David Carlucci

Categories Accountability, Administrators, superintendents, Education Reform, Failure, New York

D.C.: Ferebee Nomination as Chancellor Questioned Because of Inaction in Sexual Abuse Case in Indianapolis

By dianeravitch
December 21, 2018 //
1

D.C. Muriel Bowser, hoping to build on the legacy of Michelle Rhee and Kaya Henderson, selected Indianapolis Superintendent Lewis Ferebee as the District’s new chancellor.

However, Ferebee is under renewed scrutiny because of his inaction in a sexual abuse case of major proportions in February 2016. Some of Ferebee’s underlings were fired for the mishandling of the case, but Ferebee won a bonus from the school board, which was thrilled by his willingness to privatize large parts of the school district.

In February 2016, a mother found “sexually explicit text messages” between her 17-year-old son and a guidance counselor. That same evening, Superintendent Ferebee was informed about allegations of an “intimate relationship” between a student and a staff member. Ferebee is now a defendant in three civil lawsuits. Six days passed before outside authorities were informed about the complaint. Two employees were criminally charged and two others were fired. Nothing happened to Ferebee.

Ferebee was one of more than a half-dozen Indianapolis Public Schools officials who had some degree of knowledge about the alleged relationship and did not report it. But only four suffered known consequences, fallout that struck some of those involved as unjust.

Shalon Dabney, a human resources official who was charged with failure to make a report, a misdemeanor, said it is unfair that Ferebee emerged unscathed — and appears set to move into a new high-profile job.

Ferebee said that student safety was his highest concern.

“I learned that there was a report from a parent of a possible inappropriate relationship between a staff member and a student,” Ferebee told the school board, under questioning by an attorney for the two administrators who were later fired.

“What was it about? Inappropriate poetry relationship?” asked the lawyer, Kevin Betz. “You knew it was sexual; right?”

“I did not know that,” Ferebee replied.

The initial email alerting Ferebee to the allegations included no specifics but said that a “parent claimed this evening that her son is having an intimate relationship with a female teacher.” The email, which has not been previously reported, was reviewed by The Post after it was entered into court records this year as part of the litigation against Ferebee and other school officials.

In the interview, Ferebee declined to comment on his contention that he was not aware the relationship was sexual…

Indiana law requires teachers, principals and other school officials — including superintendents — to “immediately” report suspected child abuse to law enforcement officials or child protective services. Indianapolis Public Schools policy and procedures say staff must report to child protective services.

The obligation to report immediately is intended to avoid exposing students to further risk. In this case, after human resources officials interviewed guidance counselor Shana Taylor, she went straight to the victim’s house “in an attempt to interfere with or influence” him, according to a lawsuit filed by the student against Ferebee, the school system and Taylor.

Taylor declined to comment.

Taylor, then 37, was arrested and charged with 11 counts, including child seduction, for her interactions with two boys. She pleaded guilty to three felony counts and was sentenced to six years of home detention.

The victim, identified in court records only by his initials, told police that he and Taylor had sexual intercourse on about 20 occasions between October 2015 and February 2016, including at his home, at her home, in her car and at a hotel, according to a detective’s probable cause affidavit.

Of course, it all depends on the definition of “immediately.” Does it mean “now,” “at once,” “in good time,” or “in six days?”

Categories Administrators, superintendents, Discipline, District of Columbia

Good News: A Career Educator Is New Commissioner of Education in Minnesota!

By dianeravitch
December 21, 2018 //
5

Mary Cathryn Ricker is the new Commissioner of Education in Minnesota. This is great news. She is a teacher and a union activist.

Governor-elect Tim Walz selected Ricker, who previously served as President of the St. Paul teachers’ union.

Walz is a former teacher. “Having taught in classrooms from St. Cloud to St. Paul, Mary Cathryn understands the shared challenges and diverse needs of schools across our state,” Walz said in a prepared statement. “This teacher-governor is proud to put a teacher-commissioner at the Department of Education.”

Congratulations to Mary Cathryn Ricker!

Categories Administrators, superintendents, Minnesota

Florida Editorial: Corcoran is the Right Choice for GOP, the Wrong Choice For Public Schools

By dianeravitch
December 11, 2018 //
5

The Sun-Sentinel of Florida explains why Richard Corcoran is a disastrous choice for Florida’s public schools as Commissioner of Education. He is unqualified. He has no education experience. He is hostile to public schools and their teachers. He has done everything he could think of to shift local tax monies from public schools to charter schools. During his campaign for governor, Ron DeSantis never visited a public school, although 90% of Florida’s children attend them.

Put succinctly: “Richard Corcoran for state education commissioner? Sure. Why not make Tallahassee’s hostility to public education even more apparent?…

In Corcoran, DeSantis has an education soulmate. Last year, Corcoran leveraged his power as speaker to push through legislation that for the first time gave charter schools — which use public money but may be privately operated — some of the property tax revenue that school districts use for construction and maintenance. When Florida allowed charter schools in the mid-1990s, operators said they never would need such money.

“House Bill 7069, which legislators hardly got to read, did much more. It gave charter companies $200 million to build “schools of hope” near low-performing public schools but with no guarantee that the charters would take all the students. The bill made it harder for school districts to use federal money designed to help those same struggling students.

“Former Palm Beach County Superintendent Robert Avossa called Corcoran’s creation “the single largest piece of legislation to dismantle public education that I’ve ever seen.” True, but HB 7069 simply extended the attack on public education by Republicans since they took control in Tallahassee two decades ago.”

Elections have consequences. Floridians who value their public schools will have to fight for them, or see more of their tax dollars diverted to for-profit charter entrepreneurs and religious schools that teach creationism and racism.

Categories Accountability, Administrators, superintendents, Bias, Charter Schools, Florida, For-Profit, School Choice, Separation of church and state

Florida: Governor-Elect Appoints a Public School Hater as Commissioner of Education

By dianeravitch
December 11, 2018 //
10

Republican Ron DeSantis was elected Governor of Florida in a close election, besting Andrew Gillum. DeSantis is a Tea Party extremist who has pledged to continue Rick Scott’s ruinous policies towards the environment and education. His choice for Commissioner of Education is Richard Corcoran, Out-of-office speaker of the House, whose wife runs a charter school. Corcoran supports charters, vouchers, and every possible alternative to public schools. He sponsored legislation to award bonuses to teachers based on their high school SAT/ACT scores. He has no education experience.

The League of Women Voters of Florida published a strong statement opposing his nomination.

The League sent this letter to The State Board of Education:

Dear Chairwoman and State Board Members,

With the impending departure of Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart, the League of Women Voters of Florida reminds you that as members of the State Board of Education you not only have the opportunity, but a constitutional responsibility, to conduct a national search to find the person who is best suited to oversee Florida’s system of public education.

Article IX, Section 2 of the Constitution of Florida was overwhelmingly adopted by the people of Florida in 1998. That provision created the Board of Education, consisting of seven members serving staggered terms to oversee Florida’s system of free public schools.

By enacting that provision, the people of Florida made it clear in the Constitution that it is the Board of Education — not the Governor — that has the responsibility to appoint a Commissioner of Education. Further, the Board of Education members’ terms of office were purposely staggered to ensure that as governors change, the Florida education system would be insulated from the disruption caused by political patronage appointments of a Commissioner of Education.

At a minimum, Floridians expect you to carry out a due diligence process aimed at ensuring Florida’s students that an individual of the highest possible caliber oversees public education. We urge you to take this important duty seriously and not simply “rubber stamp” a politically motivated choice.

Under our state’s current constitution, the Governor retains input to the process by filling vacancies which occur as Board Members terms expire, however, the Board must carry out its constitutional duty and make appointments based upon merit, not political patronage. While members of the Board may ultimately concur with the recommendation of the incoming Governor regarding who to appoint, the Board of Education should decline to opt for an expedient political patronage selection.

In sum, the Board should be guided by the constitutional statement that imposes upon the State a “paramount duty” to make “adequate provision for the education of all children residing within its borders.” Included in such a paramount duty is the selection of the best person possible to lead the effort. Finding such a person mandates that the Board conduct a national search and not just grant perfunctory approval to a political patronage appointment.

Florida’s children deserve nothing less.

Patricia Brigham
President

Categories Administrators, superintendents, Florida

Arizona: The Charter School Scam of the Month, Perhaps the Year

By dianeravitch
December 8, 2018 //
1

I previously reported that Arizona legislator Eddie Farnsworth was making a bundle by selling his for-profit charter chain to a nonprofit charter chain for millions of dollars, and that he had selected the members of the board of the new nonprofit and would get a contract from that board to manage the charter schools. All in all, a triumph of self-dealing.

Now new details have emerged about what a sweet deal this is for Mr. Farnsworth.

An Arizona legislator selling his state-funded charter school business will receive money from consulting work, rent and a loan to the chain beyond pocketing $13.9 million from the $56.9 million transaction itself.

The Arizona Republic reports that Gilbert Republican Rep. Eddie Farnsworth will make $78,000 of interest by loaning the Benjamin Franklin school chain $2.8 million for operating cash and be paid $79,600 in rent and an unspecified amount for consulting work.

Farnsworth declined to discuss the deal’s financial particulars but said he’s run Benjamin Franklin for 24 years and that he’s entitled to benefit from the transaction.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman says Farnsworth is legally pocketing the money but that it’s not right.

A nonprofit whose directors Farnsworth recruited is acquiring Benjamin Franklin.

What’s new? Well, the new State Superintendent of Public Instruction was just elected, and she thinks this whole deal stinks. The previous state superintendent, Republican Diane Douglas, didn’t seem to care, didn’t raise any objection.

Kathy Hoffman, an educator, was swept into office with the blue mini-wave in Arizona a few weeks ago.

Categories Accountability, Administrators, superintendents, Arizona, Charter Schools, For-Profit, Privatization

Florida: Richard Corcoran Likely to be Next Commissioner of Education

By dianeravitch
December 5, 2018 //
9

Richard Corcoran, speaker of the House of Representatives, is likely to be selected as the next Commissioner of Education. Corcoran is a huge supporter of vouchers and charters. His wife runs a charter school. In Florida, conflicts of interest don’t matter. The Legislature frequently passes legislation to benefit members and their family members, especially in education.

He is also author of a much-ridiculed plan called “Best and Brightest,” in which Florida pays a bonus to teachers based on their high school SAT scores, the test usually taken when they were high school juniors or seniors.

As noted in the previous post, Florida is a citadel of school choice but is a model of mediocrity on national tests.

Categories Administrators, superintendents, Charter Schools, Florida, School Choice, Vouchers

D.C. Chooses Lewis Ferebee, Superintendent of Indianapolis, to Lead the Schools

By dianeravitch
December 3, 2018 //
17

Mayor Muriel Bowser of the District of Columbia announced today that she had chosen Dr. Lewis Ferebee as the next chancellor of the D.C. Public Schools. Dr. Ferebee is currently superintendent of the Indianapolis Public Schools. From what I know, he has worked amiably with the reformer group Mind Trust, which is intent on characterizing as many schools as possible in Indianapolis.

If you live in that city and can provide advice to readers in D.C. about Dr. Ferebee, please let us know. Perhaps my view from afar is unfair. Answer this question: Is Dr. Ferebee committed to public schools under democratic control? Has he resisted the Reformers? Will he steer a middle course in D.C., where the Waltons have opened a large number of charter schools and nearly half the DC pupils are in charters? Will reformers continue to have the run of the place? Will Dr. Ferebee insist on accountability for charters?

Categories Accountability, Administrators, superintendents, Charter Schools, District of Columbia, Education Industry, Privatization, Washington, DC
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