Washington Times: House GOP to push for school vouchers- Revival of D.C. program eyed

By Deborah Simmons- Washington Times

November 9, 2010

Despite the opposition of the incoming D.C. mayor and the Democratic president, key House Republican lawmakers say they will push a popular school-voucher program that was canceled by the Obama administration.

A spokeswoman for Rep. John Kline, Minnesota Republican and likely chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said her boss and other House leaders continue to support the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program and intend to pursue its revival.

"Congressman Kline is very focused on restoring the program," spokeswoman Alexa Marrero said.

She added that presumptive House Speaker-to-be John A. Boehner and Rep. Darrell Issa, incoming chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which oversees D.C. affairs, also "remain strong supporters" of the D.C. voucher program.

Advocates "can count on" Rep. Jason Chaffetz, Utah Republican and the ranking member on the Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee that oversees the District of Columbia, to push for re-funding vouchers, said his spokeswoman, Alisia Essig.

In 2009, Mr. Chaffetz co-sponsored Mr. Boehner's Preserving D.C. Student Scholarships Act, which would have re-funded the Opportunity Scholarships program, she added.

In 2004, the Bush administration established the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program to provide economically disadvantaged students up to $7,500 in tuition to attend private and religious schools of their parents choosing. But President Obama wanted to direct federal dollars elsewhere, and Congress obliged by prohibiting new students from enrolling in the program.

Advocates said Mr. Obama opened wide the door for a renewed push for vouchers when, in post-election comments last week, he said that education is one area where he and Republicans might find “potential common ground.”

The incoming Republican-led House offers the best chance to expand the voucher program for children trapped in underperforming D.C. schools, advocates said.

"By taking action, reversing course and saving the endangered D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, President Obama will rescue the educational futures of thousands of low-income children who live just blocks from the White House," said former D.C. Council member Kevin P. Chavous, who advocates the three-pronged education-reform approach of public schools, public charter schools and vouchers.

"The president will find a ready and willing coalition of Republicans eager to help him on this — as well as legions of supporters, Democratic and Republican, in Congress and in the District of Columbia itself," Mr. Chavous said. "Even Education Secretary Arne Duncan indicated that education would be an area of mutual collaboration with Republicans. I submit that the D.C. [Opportunity Scholarship Program] is the place to start."

Despite his canceling the Opportunity Scholarship Program, Mr. Obama has been supportive of school-reform efforts, including the possibility of teacher firings, though, like most high-ranking federal elected officials, he sends his own children to a private school.

The U.S. Constitution empowers Congress with wide latitude regarding D.C. affairs, and federal lawmakers have traditionally exercised that prerogative during the appropriations process. Unlike his two predecessors, incoming Mayor Vincent C. Gray opposes public funding for school-voucher programs.

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Washington Post: Will Gray retreat on school reform? Here are 5 tests

By Richard Whitmire
Arlington

On Oct. 24, soon-to-be-departed D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee and Mayor Adrian Fenty wrote a farewell in The Post’s Outlook section: “We’ve done our best. Now it’s up to you.” Wisely, and appropriately, they kept their message at 30,000 feet. The big picture.

Allow me to address worried parents at ground level. How will you know if likely future mayor Vincent Gray succumbs to virulent anti-Rhee sentiment among some of his supporters and shifts her radical school reform agenda into neutral, to the kind of feel-good reforms seen in many urban districts. That is, just enough tinkering to trigger positive headlines but not enough to upset anyone — or really help students improve.

As Rhee indelicately put it just days after the primary, that would be “devastating” for D.C. students.

When it comes to education, Gray’s heart appears to be in the right place. He seems sincere when vowing to continue education reform. Certainly, his approval of Kaya Henderson as interim chancellor — Rhee’s close friend and deputy chancellor — is a positive sign. But let’s be real. The pressure to ease off Rhee’s reforms will be intense.

In Washington, much of the recent bump in enrollment comes from middle-class families, black and white, enrolling their sons and daughters in pre-K programs. I’ve interviewed some of those families. Rhee gave them confidence, while Gray worries them. If they sense that Gray will scale back the D.C. reforms, they will want to look for charter schools, private schools or a new home in the suburbs.

Here are five indicators that might help parents searching for clues about the future of the city’s schools. If any of the following pop up in the news, it’s time to worry:

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Chancellor Michelle Rhee Resigns

D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced that she is stepping down during a news conference on Wednesday morning at the Mayflower Hotel.

Mayor Adrian Fenty and presumptive mayor-elect Vincent Gray held a press conference with Rhee and Deputy Chancellor Kaya Henderson, who will succeed Rhee as interim Chancellor.

Rhee will leave at the end of the month because she and Gray agreed that Gray "deserves his own team" to run the school system. During the press conference, she described it as a "mutual decision."

George Parker, president of the Washington Teachers Union, said he appreciates the timing of Rhee's decision.

Rhee is "not walking out in a huff," the sources said, but that she is happy Henderson is taking over. Gray and Rhee agree that there must be "continuity, commitment and collaboration" going forward, sources said. The sources said that Henderson is much more collegial than Rhee -- a key criticism of the outgoing chancellor."The best out of this is she's making the decision sooner rather than later," Parker said. "I think that kills all the speculation. We can move forward with trying to get to the business of running the schools and improving the outcomes of our students. We can move forward with that now that we know whether she's staying or going. It's a good thing that we now know."

Rhee described her team as "the most talented and dedicated in the nation" and said that Henderson was an "absolutely unbelievable candidate."

Before becoming deputy chancellor, Henderson served as the Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at The New Teacher Project, where she oversaw the organization’s work on improving teacher hiring for school districts from a process, policy and capacity-building perspective, according to her DCPS bio.

"I think that would be a good choice," Parker said. "Deputy Chancellor Henderson was intensely involved in the contract negotiations, so she is well aware of the content of the contract we negotiated, and I believe she has a commitment to ensure that we implement the contract. If this contract is implemented with the kind of integrity that we expect, then it's certainly going to improve D.C. Public Schools and it's good for our students."

Rhee and the DCPS system have been the subject of increased scrutiny -- and praise -- since she joined Fenty's administration.

Rhee -- appointed by surprise by Fenty in the summer of 2007 -- imposed major changes and fired hundreds of teachers and central office staff during her tenure. While many said city schools desperately needed reform, critics say Rhee was cold, aloof and distant from the rank-and-file employees.

Rhee openly campaigned for Fenty in the primary against Gray, all but assuring she would not stay on. Gray rebuffed all questions about Rhee's future. On September 24, Gray and Rhee held a summit about which much was said in advance but since has been followed by silence.

Sources said Rhee and Gray agreed that she was not a good fit in his potential administration and decided that she should leave. With Henderson as her successor, Rhee feels the reform effort begun under her will continue.

A documentary about education in the U.S., "Waiting for Superman," in theaters now, interviews Rhee. That gave her an opportunity to take her story to a national audience -- one that included Oprah Winfrey.

Who will replace Rhee in the long run? If not Henderson, some names that have been thrown out include Detroit Public Schools Emergency Financial Director Robert Bobb and Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist.

Who won't it be? Discussing the next D.C. schools chief with the Washington Post’s Bill Turque, Gray said, “It won’t be Cliff Janey.”

Janey ran D.C.’s schools before Rhee, and currently runs the Newark, N.J., school system. He was recently told his contract will not be renewed, and a top contender to replace him in the Brick City is… Michelle Rhee.

Gray told Turque that if he does replace Rhee, “his preference would be for new blood, not a heavily traveled schools leader who has been around ‘for 35 years.’”

Gray also “expressed bewilderment” over Rhee’s much-discussed “shell-shocked demeanor in front of the cameras after their Sept. 23 meeting. He described the 90-minute session as ‘a very good conversation’ with substance and smiles that went smoothly until it came time to meet reporters.” Gray said Rhee “didn’t want to face the media,” and only “adopted a sour face” when he told her she needed to do so.

Earlier this month, Rhee announced that enrollment in the school system had increased for the first time in 39 years.

The district said 73 of the system's 123 schools saw increased enrollment. Though the official count is pending an accountant's review, an unaudited report found increased enrollment in some schools in all eight wards.

The early counts mark a continued improvement since 2009, when enrollment showed a marginal decline of less than 1 percent.

Today also marked the launch of a new website: www.michellerhee.org.

Rhee's website is hosted by Blue State Digital, a progressive new-media organization responsible for my.barackobama.com and other high-profile online projects. Joe Rospars, the former director of new media for the Obama campaign, is one of the organization's founding partners.

The Blue State Digital website describes the organization as "a leader in online fundraising, advocacy, social networking, and constituency development programs for nonprofit organizations, political candidates and causes, and corporations."

Meet Kaya Henderson

So far, the content on www.michellerhee.orgincludes user registration forms to "stay in touch with Michelle" and to share ideas for education reform. It also features links to Rhee's Twitter account (@m_rhee) andFacebook page as well as a blog. The blog does not appear to be written by Rhee, if the third-person voice is any indication.

The site appears to be organized around a mission, though the nature of that cause has yet to be disclosed. The sole blog entry on the site is her official statement about her resignation.

Earlier on Wednesday, during a press conference announcing her resignation, Rhee said that she will continue to "serve the children of this nation" and that she will be "serving America's children in [her] next role as well."

Presumptive mayor-elect Vincent Gray posted earlier on his own blog about Rhee's resignation.

First Published: Oct 13, 2010 1:00 PM EDT

NBC Washington: What's Ahead for D.C. Schools?

Reform will continue, but what will it look like?

By P.J. ORVETTI

Updated 2:16 PM EDT, Fri, Oct 1, 2010

“It is one of the happy incidents of the federal system that a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country.”

That’s what Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis wrote in a 1932 dissent. The District of Columbia is not a state, but it has been a laboratory for experiments in governance and policy, even if its residents don’t always like it.

D.C. has a greater level of autonomy now than it has had at any point in its history, but only at the pleasure of Congress. It was less than a decade ago that the federal Financial Control Board suspended its oversight, and Congress can curtail D.C.’s self-governance at any time.

It is hard to predict the future of education anywhere in the United States, but it is even harder to guess what will happen here. When Republicans are in power, D.C. is a laboratory for taxpayer-funded vouchers. When Democrats are in charge, teacher pay and funding issues are at the forefront.

In as much as D.C. can control its own fate, however, positive change is on the horizon for the public schools, without or without Michelle Rhee.

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A Report Card for Rhee

She's almost certainly leaving. So how did she do?

By P.J. ORVETTI

Robyn Twomey

Michelle Rhee is not going to stay on as D.C. Schools Chancellor. Thinking otherwise is to follow in the steps of those still pushing anAdrian Fenty write-in campaign -- a willful denial of the results of the Sept. 14 Democratic primary.

The absolute best case for Rhee under Mayor Vincent Gray would be a continuation of things as they are -- near-total authority with the full support of the mayor. And there’s no way Gray would give her that. More realistically, Rhee would see her autonomy curtailed greatly, and major decisions made subject to mayoral veto.

So why, when Rhee is basking in the national glory attached to the film “Waiting for ‘Superman,’” would she want to stay? She can have her pick of urban school systems to lead -- or may go even higher.

Though I seem to be alone in this prediction for now, I think Rhee could end up as the U.S. secretary of education in the near future. Republicans are expected to make big gains in November, and replacing Arne Duncan with Rhee -- a high-profile Asian-American woman who appeals to conservatives -- would be a logical political move for President Obama.

Rhee will be on the scene for a long time, even if it’s not in District governance. But just who is she, anyway?

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Could Gray Vouch for Vouchers?

Chavous hints at "true revolution" in education

By P.J. ORVETTI

Getty Images

If Vincent Gray really wants to continue reforming D.C.’s public schools, but in a more conciliatory way than that taken by Adrian Fenty and Michelle Rhee, a good start would be to push for a revival of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.

The experimental federal program, which provided vouchers of up to $7,500 to low-income children to attend private schools, was cut off by President Obama early in his term. While the Obama Administration agreed to let students who were already taking advantage of the program continue getting the aid until they finished high school, scholarships that had already been promised to 216 students were rescinded.

A federally mandated evaluation indicated that the use of an Opportunity Scholarship resulted in the equivalent of more than three and a half extra months of learning in terms of measurable progress. Surveys showed that a clear majority of D.C. residents supported the continuation of the program. But because of Obama’s decision, those 216 students, and those who might have followed them into future Opportunity Scholarships, will have to stay in a school system where nearly two-thirds of fourth graders cannot read at a basic level.

Perhaps alluding to the startling fact that nearly a thousand incidents of violent crime were reported in D.C. public schools during one recent school year, federal Education Secretary Arne Duncan said late last year that Opportunity Scholarship students “were safe, and learning and doing well.” An endorsement of the program? Well, no. “We can’t be satisfied with saving 1 or 2 percent of children and letting 98 or 99 percent down.”

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DC State Education Chief's Resignation Stuns Board

By Bill Turque

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 22, 2010

In her year and a half on the job, D.C. State Superintendent of Education Kerri L. Briggs was the epitome of the careful, by-the-book government agency appointee. She kept her profile low and her public comments measured and avoided any actions that might draw unwanted attention to herself or the man who appointed her, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty.

Which is why her resignation last week - in the form of a Thursday evening e-mail giving barely 24 hours' notice - stunned members of the D.C. State Board of Education and others who follow District school matters. Even in a post-primary environment where scores of Fenty appointees are likely to be moving on, board members expected at least some advance notice.

"I just don't get it," said Mary Lord, Ward 2 representative on the board. "It is out of character for a dedicated steward of an education organization as big as OSSE [Office of the State Superintendent of Education] to pack her bags in the middle of the night and get out of Dodge."

"I had no idea this was coming," said board President Ted Trabue (At Large). "At this level of professionalism, it is uncommon for someone to leave without significant notice."

Briggs said in an e-mail Tuesday that she informed Fenty of her plans in mid-August and offered to stay on until Oct. 1 to ensure a smooth transition. But Fenty, perhaps reluctant to disclose a major resignation before the Sept. 14 primary, kept Briggs's departure under wraps.

On Friday, shortly after Briggs announced her departure, Fenty appointed OSSE general counsel Beth Colleye as interim superintendent.

"I've met with the interim state superintendent to review the outstanding issues, and I'll continue to be available to assist as needed," Briggs said.

Fenty's office did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment Tuesday.

Although much of the heat and light in D.C. education has been taken up by Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee, Briggs ran a $400 million agency with a significant mission, comparable to that of other state departments of education across the country, including oversight of federal grants, administration of standardized tests and managing aspects of special education.

Briggs was also a player in two initiatives that are expected to trigger far-reaching changes. The District's successful application for a $75 million federal "Race to the Top"grant commits the city to continuing key reforms launched in the Rhee era, including rigorous teacher evaluation and linkage of pay to student performance. The state board's adoption of the Common Core State Standards means that the District will use a set of national guidelines for what students will learn in English and math from kindergarten through high school.

But Briggs, a former assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education in the Bush administration, was thought to be unhappy in the job. Like her predecessor, Deborah A. Gist, she chafed under the tight controls imposed by Fenty, her superior under the District's unusual governance structure, who wanted Rhee at center stage. Gist resigned in April 2009 to become Rhode Island commissioner of education.

"Our educational structure is not going to let the state superintendent be the star," Trabue said. "You look at Maryland, and [State Superintendent of Schools] Nancy Grasmick is the star."

Briggs said Tuesday that she was not unhappy in the post. "OSSE has an important role in D.C.'s education system," she said. "I worked on making sure that the agency supported both [D.C. public schools] and a vibrant community of public charter schools. The mayor's office supported us in that role."

Briggs, a native of Midland, Tex., and a high-level Republican in a Democratic town, never seemed comfortable in the spotlight. And the reception she received from D.C. Council members at oversight hearings was often chilly.

She said last year that she was drawn to Washington by President George W. Bush's commitment to education reform as a civil rights issue. Sources said she'll be returning to Texas for her next job. What kind, she's not saying.

"There will be an announcement in coming weeks," she said.