Former Chicago public schools Chief Executive Officer Paul Vallas will take over the helm of the Philadelphia public schools next week.
With only a month and a half left until the schools reopen for the fall, the Philadelphia School Reform Commission named Vallas as the CEO of the Philadelphia School District yesterday. The appointment comes a week after The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker had finalized a grant of $82 million to aid the Philadelphia schools.
However, the monetary grant seems bittersweet to many Philadelphia residents, as the funds were given under the provision that $55 million of the $82 million -- roughly 67 percent -- would be spent only on the 45 schools that will run by various educational management organizations in the 2002-2003 academic year.
Vallas, however, spoke to those residents who presented their arguments with the grant at the very School Reform Commission meeting in which his appointment was made public.
"I would hold that we will provide maximum flexibility for the $75 million," Vallas said. "We've got to spend our money right and we've got to spend it responsibly."
Vallas said he would also require "maximum accountability" for the money and the school performances.
In his new position, Vallas will act as Superintendent and Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of Education and as the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Intermediate Unit, another division of the city's school system.
The failing Philadelphia school system was threatened by a full state takeover last year, but reforms planned by the Philadelphia Schools Reform Commission have allayed a full state takeover. Instead, a partnership is currently formed between the city and state. Reforms for the Philadelphia schools for the next academic year include the largest school privatization scheme to date -- the management of 42 of the city's 264 schools by private educational management organizations -- and the drastic reform of another 28 public schools, schools that will remain in the hands of the city.
Vallas faced similarly daunting odds in Chicago, where he served as CEO of the public schools for six years.
However, he overcame the problems and instituted new curricula and reform plans, eventually resulting in steady improvements of the urban school system for five straight years.
Although Philadelphia Mayor John Street was unable to publically present Vallas as the new CEO, he supported the decision by the SRC.
"[We] look forward to rolling up our sleeves in partnership will Vallas and the SRC to continue the hard work of preparing for a successful start of the school year and for a bold and greatly enhanced quality of education in Philadelphia," Street said in a press release.
He also supported the grant finalized by Schweiker, aid which he had requested earlier, and a help that he feels will enable the Philadelphia school systems to improve.
"With the historic partnership with the Commonwealth now firmly in place, there is a great sense of optimism that we can achieve our common goals. Our children need us now more than ever and we will not fail them," Street added in the release.
Vallas also emphasized the need to focus on the children of the school system, rather than simply considering the finances or the new $82 million grant.
"[The grant] is a very important first step, but there's a lot more to be done," Vallas said. "We need to look at the grant, but also at the existing budget, and most importantly, we want good, equitable schools for the children of the city."
Current CEO of the Chicago Public Schools Arne Duncan said that Vallas' concern for the students was a quality that would yield results in the Philadelphia school system. Duncan and Vallas worked together for three years during the six years Vallas was CEO of the Chicago public schools.
"He's extraordinarily excited about this position," Duncan said. Duncan added that the Philadelphia school system could not have found a better man for the job, citing that "[Vallas] has incredible passion, a diligent work ethic, commitment, enthusiasm and an infectious vital energy that will motivate everyone."
Ultimately, Duncan said he believed that Vallas was drawn to the Philadelphia position by the "challenge and the magnitude of possibility" of the Philadelphia schools.
Vallas will take the position next week, but the challenge will begin next fall, when the 264 Philadelphia schools will make their first steps towards recovery, including the momentous privatization of 42 individual schools.
