School & District Management News in Brief

Brizard Tapped to Lead Chicago Schools

By Christina A. Samuels — April 26, 2011 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

• Restrict the grants for students enrolled in institutions with weak records of student success.

Mr. Brizard, who was named to the Chicago post last week by Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, spent most of his career as a teacher and administrator in the New York City schools before becoming superintendent of the 32,000-student Rochester district in 2007. He has been a lightning rod there, in part because of his support for charter schools and merit pay.

Last fall, Mr. Brizard signed a three-year contract extension in Rochester. But he also faced increasing hostility from teachers, who voted overwhelmingly in February that they did not support his ability to lead. About 80 percent of the teachers participated in the vote, organized by the Rochester Teachers Association, and 95 percent of them gave him a vote of no confidence, according to the union.

Jean-Claude Brizard speaks to reporters after Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel introduced him as the next chief executive of the Chicago public schools.

In his letter of resignation, he focused on accomplishments, such as an increase in the graduation rate, a decrease in the suspension rate, and a school modernization plan.

Mr. Brizard, who describes himself as a reformer, is a 2007 graduate of the Broad Superintendents Academy, which trains leaders to work in urban districts. He spent 21 years as a science teacher and administrator in New York City, and served as a regional superintendent, supervising more than 100 schools with 100,000-plus students, before moving to Rochester.

Mr. Emanuel, a former congressman who served as President Barack Obama’s first chief of staff, takes the reins of the city on May 16 from retiring Mayor Richard M. Daley, who has had mayoral control of the 409,000-student school system since 1995.

The district’s previous chief executive officers have included U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Paul Vallas, now superintendent in New Orleans’ Recovery School District. For the past five months, Chicago’s schools have been overseen by Terry Mazany, the chief executive officer of the Chicago Community Trust, a community foundation.

A version of this article appeared in the April 27, 2011 edition of Education Week as Brizard Tapped to Lead Chicago Schools

Events

Recruitment & Retention Webinar Keep Talented Teachers and Improve Student Outcomes
Keep talented teachers and unlock student success with strategic planning based on insights from Apple Education and educational leaders. 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Families & the Community Webinar
Family Engagement: The Foundation for a Strong School Year
Learn how family engagement promotes student success with insights from National PTA, AASA and leading districts and schools.  
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Special Education Webinar
How Early Adopters of Remote Therapy are Improving IEPs
Learn how schools are using remote therapy to improve IEP compliance & scalability while delivering outcomes comparable to onsite providers.
Content provided by Huddle Up

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Opinion From One Superintendent to Another: Get Political
Strong relationships with political leaders help create a supportive network for your schools, even amid partisan turbulence.
George Philhower
5 min read
Vector of an education leader hand holding a book bridging the gap in education for a group of political people walking on
Feodora Chiosea/iStock
School & District Management Q&A What Should School Administrators Wear to Work? A Superintendent’s Style Tips
Melanie Kay-Wyatt describes her wardrobe as professional, comfortable, and colorful.
3 min read
Melanie Kay-Wyatt stands for a portrait inside Alexandria City High School on Sept. 9, 2024 in Alexandria, Va. Kay-Wyatt serves as superintendent for Alexandria City Public Schools.
Melanie Kay-Wyatt, the superintendent for the Alexandria, Va., school district, stands for a portrait inside Alexandria City High School on Sept. 9, 2024. She considers her professional style to be an important part of how she presents herself in her role.
Maansi Srivastava for Education Week
School & District Management Video How School Leaders Can Learn to 'Disagree Better'
Leaders can’t avoid conflict. But they can learn to manage it more effectively.
3 min read
School & District Management Opinion 3 Ways School Leaders Can Build Collective Understanding
Initiatives will fail without school staff being included in these key conversations.
5 min read
Screenshot 2024 09 07 at 11.41.23 AM
Canva