- Paul Vallas
Paul G. Vallas is currently superintendent of the Recovery School District of
New Orleans, Louisiana .He first gained fame as CEO of the
Chicago Public Schools (CPS). During his tenure from1995 to2001 , he led an effort to reform the school system, and his work was cited by PresidentBill Clinton for raising test scores, improving relations with the teachers' union, balancing the budget, and instituting several new programs included mandatory summer school, after school programs, and expanding alternative, charter, and magnet schools.The position of CEO of the CPS was created by Mayor Richard M. Daley after he successfully convinced the Illinois State Legislature to place CPS under mayoral control. Vallas had previously directed the budget arm of the Illinois State Legislature and served as budget director for Daley.
Controversy plagued Vallas towards the end of his reign as CPS CEO. Following criticism from the mayor, and the election of a union president who ran on an anti-Vallas platform, Vallas resigned in 2001 and ran for
Governor of Illinois as a Democrat. Vallas placed second in the Democratic primary, losing narrowly to now-GovernorRod Blagojevich while running ahead of former state Attorney General Roland Burris.Following the election, Vallas was appointed CEO of
School District of Philadelphia . In Philadelphia, he presided over the nation's largest experiment in privatized management of schools, with the management of over 40 schools turned over to outside for-profits, nonprofits, and universities beginning in Fall 2002.In 2005, Vallas considered challenging Blagojevich again for Illinois governor in the Democratic Primary but decided against it. He then signed a two-year contract (2007-2008) as superintendent of the Recovery School District of
New Orleans, Louisiana .On April 28, 2008 he appeared before the
City Club of Chicago and on Chicago news shows discussing a possible run for governor in2010 . [ [http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29198&seenIt=1 Vallas interested in running for Illinois guv] , Greg Hinz, "Crain's Chicago Business', April 28, 2008] [ [http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/04/vallas-open-to.html Vallas "open" to run for governor in 2010] , David Mendell, "Chicago Tribune", April 28, 2008] [ [http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/919860,vallasweb042808.article Former CPS CEO considering run for governor] , Rosalind Rossi, "Chicago Sun-Times", April 28, 2008]References
External links
* [http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/v/paul_g_vallas/index.html Times Topics - Paul G. Vallas] "The New York Times", collected news stories, including commentary and archival articles
* [http://www.pbs.org/merrow/tv/leadership/nola/ Leadership] "PBS", profile of Vallas's work in New Orleans
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0MJG/is_1_3/ai_94893900 Political educator: Paul Vallas became the nation's most sought-after superintendent by bringing order and energy to Chicago's moribund school system] Alexander Russo, "Education Next, Winter 2003, profile
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