Saturday, March 24, 2012

RHEE-VOLTING ‘Rhee Effect:’ Why depending on private cash for reform is a bad idea - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

‘Rhee Effect:’ Why depending on private cash for reform is a bad idea - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:


‘Rhee Effect:’ Why depending on private cash for reform is a bad idea

Michelle Rhee was a great fundraiser during the 3 1/2 years she was the chancellor of D.C.’s public schools.
During her tenure, from 2007 until 2010, when she resigned, she persuaded a handful of private foundations to pony up a total of more than $80 million to help cover a three-year labor contract she negotiated with teachers that included a performance-based pay assessment system.
But take a look at what my colleague Bill Turque reported on his D.C. Schools Insider blog:
“With Rhee gone and the three-year foundation commitment up, private largess is considerably more scarce. Grant funds are projected at just