Former Chicago schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for her role in steering no-bid contracts to an education consulting company in exchange for kickbacks in a $20 million corruption scheme.
The sentence closes the final chapter in Byrd-Bennett’s long education career, which started in New York City. She served as a teacher, principal, and regional superintendent there. She later worked as the chief academic officer in Detroit and the superintendent in Cleveland.
Prosecutors charged that Byrd-Bennett colluded with the owners of SUPES Academy and Synesi Associates—for which she previously worked as a consultant—to steer contracts their way in return for funneling money in her direction.
