Nutter, Rendell announce Ackerman as Philly schools CEO
Mayor Nutter and Gov. Rendell this afternoon officially announced the selection of Arlene Ackerman - a former San Francisco and Washington D.C. schools superintendent - as the new chief executive officer of the Philadelphia School District.
Mayor Nutter and Gov. Rendell this afternoon officially announced the selection of Arlene Ackerman - a former San Francisco and Washington D.C. schools superintendent - as the new chief executive officer of the Philadelphia School District.
Her selection was announced today at a city hall press conference.
"Dr. Ackerman is nationally recognized for her successes in the school districts she has led, including positioning San Francisco as a finalist for the 2005 Broad Prize for Urban Education presented annually to the best urban school district in the country," Gov. Rendell said in a prepared statement before the press conference. "I look forward to working with her to ensure that Philadelphia's students thrive under her leadership."
Ackerman, 61, has more than 30 years experience in public education, including six years at the helm of the San Francisco district and two years at the head of Washington D.C.'s public schools. She currently is an education professor at Columbia University's Teachers College.
"I am coming back to active leadership because I have missed my passion - the on the ground battle for our children who attend urban public schools," Ackerman said in a prepared statement. "I believe I still have more to give in this important fight for social justice."
Details of Ackerman's contract still need to be worked out, and it's not clear when the School Reform Commission will vote on her selection.
But approval seems all but certain. Three of four School Reform Commissioners issued statements in support of Ackerman this morning. The fourth, Martin Bednarek, said yesterday that he supports Ackerman's selection.
School Reform Commission Chairwoman Sandra Dungee Glenn cited Ackerman's track record of improving student achievement and working with diverse communities.
"Her passion for children in urban schools, as well as her track record and priorities of putting resources back into the classrooms fits with the goals the Commission has established for our students," Dungee Glenn said in a prepared statement.
Mayor Nutter said the schools must work on closing the achievement gap between the races and making sure schools have the resources they need.
"I look forward to partnering with her on these endeavors to guarantee that all of our students prosper," Nutter said in a prepared statement.
Ackerman was one of two remaining finalists for the job in the 167,000-student district. The other was Leroy D. Nunery 2d, a former executive for Edison Schools Inc., a for-profit education company.
Ackerman, who started her career as an elementary and middle school teacher, coaches nontraditional superintendent candidates such as former military officers at the Los Angeles-based Broad Superintendents Academy.
She has a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's in educational administration and policy. She also has a master's and a doctorate in education administration, planning and social policy from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
She was named superintendent of the year for 2004-05 by the National Association of Black School Educators.
