Mostly high marks for new CPS chief, One of the first calls Barbara Byrd-Bennett made after being tapped as the new chief of Chicago Public Schools was to teachers union President Karen Lewis.
Coming after contentious contract talks with the union and heading into a storm of school closings, the gesture was typical of an approach Byrd-Bennett has taken throughout her career as a top administrator in big-city school districts.
"Barbara understood the importance of collaboration because when you have collaboration, you have buy-in," said Keith Johnson, president of the teachers union in Detroit, where Byrd-Bennett was a consultant on teacher contracts. "Barbara and I both agree that reform comes better if it's driven by those who are in the schools, not top down."
In top posts from New York City to Cleveland to Detroit, Byrd-Bennett, a former teacher, has gained a reputation as a straight-talking pragmatist who uses her classroom sensibility to charm parents, union representatives and city officials while working to turn around stumbling schools.
Despite some criticism over relatively minor spending and conflict-of-interest issues in past jobs, she gets generally high marks for her ability to rally teachers and staff behind her plans.
Now, more than 30 years into her career, Byrd-Bennett, 62, may be facing her biggest challenge yet as head of the country's third-largest school system.
The district is facing a $1 billion deficit in its next fiscal year in addition to $338 million in pension payments that come due in 2014. A bitter teachers strike last month left the district with a three-year contract mandating raises that will add millions of dollars in costs to a budget the school board is expected to amend later this month.
Byrd-Bennett also will have to deal with anticipated school closings while continuing to oversee the implementation of a controversial longer school day and a rigorous new school curriculum for the district's 402,000 students.
In addition, she must balance an independent management style while working for a hands-on mayor who has a major stake in turning around Chicago's troubled public schools.
"(It's) a tremendous undertaking," said Paul Vallas, who oversaw CPS from 1995 to 2001. "The job of CEO, the challenges are almost overwhelming."
She takes over from Jean-Claude Brizard, who left following 17 months on the job after it became clear he was not on the same page as the mayor. Byrd-Bennett, who was hired by Brizard in May as the district's chief education officer, said her experience working in challenged urban school districts makes her the right choice for the city's top schools post.
"I'm a people person, and I think I can get people on our team rallied around our mission and get the job done," Byrd-Bennett said in an interview Friday.
She noted that as CEO of schools in Cleveland she also worked directly for the mayor.
"I understand that structure," Byrd-Bennett said. "Working with the mayor … and working with an appointed school board … that's a skill set I've developed over time."
In a news conference introducing Byrd-Bennett, Emanuel said that after an acrimonious teachers strike that shut down the city's schools for seven days, the time is right for a new CEO. Byrd-Bennett was a key player in marathon contract negotiations that finally ended the strike.
Emanuel called Byrd-Bennett's strong working relationship with Lewis one of the reasons he thinks she will be successful, especially as the district embarks on the politically perilous path of school closings. The mayor noted that with the breadth of Byrd-Bennett's experience, she "has been part of ushering in the kinds of changes we want to see."
Byrd-Bennett brought to contract negotiations a sensibility forged during her years as a teacher and administrator in New York City. She is praised by top education union officials, who lauded her ability to consider all sides during negotiations.
The normally combative Lewis had only good things to say about the new schools chief and indicated she's ready to work with her on the district's issues.
"She's a very warm, delightful person," Lewis said. "I think everyone should have an opportunity to prove themselves one way or the other, and Barbara Byrd-Bennett deserves an opportunity to come in on an even playing field."
Traces of controversy have cropped up during Byrd-Bennett's career as a top schools administrator.
While leading the Cleveland school district from 1998 to 2006, Byrd-Bennett was criticized for using private donations on expensive hotels and fancy restaurants, prompting a 2004 state audit. While the audit found no wrongdoing, it recommended that the school district keep a closer watch on district spending, according to The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer.
Coming after contentious contract talks with the union and heading into a storm of school closings, the gesture was typical of an approach Byrd-Bennett has taken throughout her career as a top administrator in big-city school districts.
"Barbara understood the importance of collaboration because when you have collaboration, you have buy-in," said Keith Johnson, president of the teachers union in Detroit, where Byrd-Bennett was a consultant on teacher contracts. "Barbara and I both agree that reform comes better if it's driven by those who are in the schools, not top down."
In top posts from New York City to Cleveland to Detroit, Byrd-Bennett, a former teacher, has gained a reputation as a straight-talking pragmatist who uses her classroom sensibility to charm parents, union representatives and city officials while working to turn around stumbling schools.
Despite some criticism over relatively minor spending and conflict-of-interest issues in past jobs, she gets generally high marks for her ability to rally teachers and staff behind her plans.
Now, more than 30 years into her career, Byrd-Bennett, 62, may be facing her biggest challenge yet as head of the country's third-largest school system.
The district is facing a $1 billion deficit in its next fiscal year in addition to $338 million in pension payments that come due in 2014. A bitter teachers strike last month left the district with a three-year contract mandating raises that will add millions of dollars in costs to a budget the school board is expected to amend later this month.
Byrd-Bennett also will have to deal with anticipated school closings while continuing to oversee the implementation of a controversial longer school day and a rigorous new school curriculum for the district's 402,000 students.
In addition, she must balance an independent management style while working for a hands-on mayor who has a major stake in turning around Chicago's troubled public schools.
"(It's) a tremendous undertaking," said Paul Vallas, who oversaw CPS from 1995 to 2001. "The job of CEO, the challenges are almost overwhelming."
She takes over from Jean-Claude Brizard, who left following 17 months on the job after it became clear he was not on the same page as the mayor. Byrd-Bennett, who was hired by Brizard in May as the district's chief education officer, said her experience working in challenged urban school districts makes her the right choice for the city's top schools post.
"I'm a people person, and I think I can get people on our team rallied around our mission and get the job done," Byrd-Bennett said in an interview Friday.
She noted that as CEO of schools in Cleveland she also worked directly for the mayor.
"I understand that structure," Byrd-Bennett said. "Working with the mayor … and working with an appointed school board … that's a skill set I've developed over time."
In a news conference introducing Byrd-Bennett, Emanuel said that after an acrimonious teachers strike that shut down the city's schools for seven days, the time is right for a new CEO. Byrd-Bennett was a key player in marathon contract negotiations that finally ended the strike.
Emanuel called Byrd-Bennett's strong working relationship with Lewis one of the reasons he thinks she will be successful, especially as the district embarks on the politically perilous path of school closings. The mayor noted that with the breadth of Byrd-Bennett's experience, she "has been part of ushering in the kinds of changes we want to see."
Byrd-Bennett brought to contract negotiations a sensibility forged during her years as a teacher and administrator in New York City. She is praised by top education union officials, who lauded her ability to consider all sides during negotiations.
The normally combative Lewis had only good things to say about the new schools chief and indicated she's ready to work with her on the district's issues.
"She's a very warm, delightful person," Lewis said. "I think everyone should have an opportunity to prove themselves one way or the other, and Barbara Byrd-Bennett deserves an opportunity to come in on an even playing field."
Traces of controversy have cropped up during Byrd-Bennett's career as a top schools administrator.
While leading the Cleveland school district from 1998 to 2006, Byrd-Bennett was criticized for using private donations on expensive hotels and fancy restaurants, prompting a 2004 state audit. While the audit found no wrongdoing, it recommended that the school district keep a closer watch on district spending, according to The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer.
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