Temple dean out of school running
Kent McGuire withdrew from consideration for the top post in the Philadelphia School District.
A Temple University dean who was one of three finalists for the top job in the Philadelphia School District has withdrawn from consideration.
Kent McGuire, 52, who heads Temple's College of Education, said yesterday that he sent a withdrawal letter to Sandra Dungee Glenn, chairwoman of the School Reform Commission, on Thursday.
"I just came to a judgment that there are lots of people who probably can do that CEO job, not as many who can do the job that I have right now, given where things are for the college," McGuire said.
The finalists remaining are Arlene Ackerman, 61, a former superintendent of schools in Washington and San Francisco who now teaches at Columbia University's Teachers College, and Leroy D. Nunery II, a former Edison Schools Inc. executive who runs his own educational consulting company.
Reached by phone, Nunery said he remained in the process. Ackerman did not return calls.
McGuire's withdrawal comes as some members of a CEO search advisory panel have called for the search to be reopened, saying they were not satisfied with the candidates for the job, which pays $275,000.
Gov. Rendell's spokesman, Chuck Ardo, also said yesterday that the governor was willing to keep the search open.
"We might be down to two finalists, but the process remains open. He is willing to consider others," Ardo said. "He is willing to consider any and all comers."
Mayor Nutter declined through a spokesman to comment on the candidates or the process.
District spokeswoman Cecilia Cummings said the School Reform Commission would continue to discuss the candidates.
While the commission initially said it would make a decision by late January or early February, it appears it could take longer for commissioners to agree on and secure a new CEO for the 167,000-student district.
"While we have given the public a general time frame for the completion of this process, we have not and will not set a firm deadline," Dungee Glenn said in a prepared statement. "The process remains open until a contract is signed and our district has a dynamic, capable CEO at the helm."
In a related action, Rendell and Nutter will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Monday at City Hall to announce education appointments in the Nutter administration.
Nutter is expected to appoint Lori Shorr, vice president for policies and planning at the Philadelphia Youth Network - the organization pioneering an effort to cut the city's dropout rate - as his point person on education.
He also is expected to outline his office of education and how it will work.
Nutter, in his inaugural address, made clear that education would be a priority and said he would aim to halve the district's 45 percent dropout rate in five to seven years. He also pledged to double the percentage of Philadelphia residents with bachelor's degrees.
