Rauner took my 'czar' advice seriously

Czar Purvis

Sun-Times headline reads:

Rauner paying education czar $250k from agency that funds autism, epilepsy services

Gov. Rauner must have read my Tuesday post -- the one where I go after the Tribune's editorial board for proposing that Chicago put a turnaround expert at the top of the school system, with "Mussolini-like powers to execute and implement."

I think my point was -- there's something about editorial recommendations that have the words Mussolini and execute in the same sentence...

As you may remember, I pointed out that they could have just said, "You know. We really need an education czar," and no one would have blinked. 

Well, it appears that Rauner actually took my czar advice seriously. Anyone who knows me would have told him not to do so. 

Anyway, the new czar's name is Beth Purvis. As you might expect, she's a former charter school director, a post which makes her eminently qualified for the czar's job. She served as CEO of the Chicago International Charter School, a network of 15 schools in Chicago and Rockford.

What Natasha Korecki's S-T article doesn't tell us is that it was Paul Vallas and Synesi that greased CICS and Purvis's entry into Rockford. Connections, anyone? You out there, reporters?

Unfortunately, Czar Purvis' quarter-million-dollar salary is being taken directly from Rauner's brutal budget cuts, otherwise known as “the Good Friday Massacre.” In other words, she's living off money that should be going for autism and epilepsy funding. 

I hope she chokes on it. 

Quotables

Minn. math teacher to Obama: "Don't explain..."

As part of her recognition, Barbara Stoflet met with Obama for three minutes, time they took to talk about the importance of math and science for girls, she said. Obama asked her how best to explain math problems to his daughters, and her response was: "Don’t explain it to them. Let them explain it to you." (Politico44)

On the backs of teachers

“A lot of charter schools are doing their work on the backs of teachers willing to work their hearts out,” says the University of Chicago’s Timothy Knowles, whose Urban Education Institute manages a handful of charter schools. “Class sizes are big, numbers of classes taught are often excessive, basic working conditions are poor, salaries are low, and benefits are worse than those in the traditional public system.” (Russo article in Harvard Education Letter)

Rockford teacher diversity

“The Caucasian population in the district is the minority,” [Executive Director of Schools Earl] Hernandez said. “We’re predominately Latin and African-American, yet the makeup of our staff is predominately Caucasian.” The student makeup is about 38 percent white, 30 percent black and 23 percent Hispanic — compared with about 88 percent of the faculty that’s white, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. (RRStar.com)

Look who's bidding to run L.A. schools

It's none other than Paul Vallas' consulting firm, Synesi Assoc., bidding to run 35 (formerly) public schools. Former Daley-appointed schools CEO in Chicago, Vallas got booted in 2001. He then journeyed to Philly where he brought in Synesi as subcontractors under Princeton Review's contract with the district, before leaving with the district in economic shambles. Then he took over post-Katrina New Orleans schools where he abrogated the union contract and fired every teacher in the city. He then sub-contracted with Synesi to consult with 35 city schools.

Synesi describes itself as a "a boutique consulting firm." It's run by several of Vallas' old cronies like Gary Solomon and former intervention chief Phil Hanson, from the Chicago district who market Vallas' management talents with first-time-free consults, while feathering a nest for him once he leaves N.O.

Synesi Foundation is the non-profit arm of Synesi Associates, a school-management consulting firm based in Illinois. Gary Solomon, president of Synesi Associates, said his organization bid on all but one of the 36 schools as a way of developing a relationship with LAUSD, but ultimately may withdraw the bids and work with the district through other means. (Daily News)

Readers may recall my previous posts on how Synesi and Vallas moved on Rockford, Illinois.

Here's the list of bidders wishing to take over LAUSD schools. What's really funny (sad) is that even other California school districts are now bidding to run L.A. schools.

Vallas' New Orleans becomes privatization Mecca

From Nola.com

Though charter operators guard their autonomy, the trend toward clustering represents a kind of middle ground between traditional centralized school systems and stand-alone charters. The strategy allows "CMOs" -- nonprofit charter management organizations, which typically take on from two to ten schools -- to achieve economies unavailable to stand-alone charters, whose principals are often heavily burdened with business-side affairs.

Rockford redux

Readers may remember back to March, when I wrote about Paul Vallas' virtual takeover of Rockford's public schools. After landing a huge consulting contract, while still holding down his job as New Orleans school boss, Vallas used his clout to push a Chicago-based chain of charter schools on the city. He also brought in his lieutenant in New Orleans, Lavonne Sheffield, to become the new Rockford superintendent, over the objections of several local board members.

Only one problem--Sheffield isn't certified. As if anyone needed proof that Vallas was calling the shots. Why else would an economic basket case like Rockford pay top-dollar for an uncertified supe?

Rockford’s politics of disaster

Vallas brings in Sheffield to run the schools

With an unemployment rate of 13.7%, the highest in the state, economically depressed and desperate Rockford, Illinois has basically turned its public school system over to Paul Vallas.

Technically, Vallas is still the boss of New Orleans’ Recovery District, which he turned into a Mecca for school privatization following the Katrina disaster. Rockford’s disaster is man-made but where some see disaster, Vallas sees opportunity. He nailed down a huge contract for his consulting company, engineered the acceptance of Chicago-based, privately-run charter schools, and now he’s brought in his New Orleans deputy, Lavonne Sheffield, over the objections of several board members, to be Rockford’s new superintendent. Rockford’s business honchos are hoping that Sheffield’s ties to Vallas and Vallas’ ties to Arne Duncan, will turn on the federal tap.

This observation comes from Rockford Star Editor Chuck Sweeny:

With Sheffield’s connection to Vallas, and his connection to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and President Obama’s financial and political commitment to improving public schools, Rockford’s could, indeed, be “poised for greatness.”

No “transparency" in the Vallas/Rockford/charter connection

I received an anonymous comment the other day. The writer, was telling me that I was “way off base” on the Rockford charter school debacle and that the current superintendent search and the accompanying imposition of a Chicago-based chain of charter schools was the model of “transparency.” Another writer named Anonymous writes this morning with the same message--the Rockford charter school deal is going to fix the failing school system and make it more accountable.

But Jeff Kolky’s story is Sunday’s Rockford Registar Star pretty much blows both Anon’s arguments away and confirms most of what I’ve been saying for the past month or so. New Orleans school boss Paul Vallas had indeed held secret meetings with Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey, developer Sunil Puri, president of the First Rockford Group, and some loyal board members. Puri is a big player in state politics and contributed heavily to the campaign of former Gov. Rod Blogojevich.

The purpose of the meetings was: 1) to override Hazard & Young’s selections for superintendent and bring in a Vallas favorite, and 2) to help maneuver Chicago International into town in hopes that privately-managed charter schools would attract outside investment into depressed Rockford. Morrissey’s motives may not have been so bad, and I’m not saying he’s been a bad mayor, but he kept his meetings with Vallas and the school board a secret while charter schools were sold, not just as a dubious business move, but rather as an educational reform. Rockford needs an economic fix. It also needs leadership that is open and above board about what it's doing with public schools and public decision-making.

As for “transparency,” Kolky writes:

Rockford dentist Cyrus Oates introduced Vallas to the superintendent search in December. Oates said he met Vallas’ wife, Sharon, while on a private jet [Isn’t it great that Vallas gets to fly around on private corporate jets?—mk] in November en route to a Dollars For Scholars board meeting near St. Louis. That meeting led to an offer from Vallas to consult with Rockford officials.

When first asked about his role by a reporter Feb. 9, Morrissey said he had met with School District consultants as a search firm built its criteria for the next superintendent. Morrissey said he had a chance “to talk with (Vallas) a few times in the past” and that “I think he has some contacts here.” It was only after Vallas confirmed that Morrissey had a seat at the table that the mayor acknowledged his participation.