UPDATE: Paul Vallas issues statement to OIB
“In August, I declined the request of the State appointed Board of Education to extend my contract beyond June of 2013. I made this choice as I believed that ultimately the decision should be left to the returning elected Board. That said, I do believe deeply in the need to sustain the positive steps we have taken to improve Bridgeport Schools. With this in mind, I would be open to discussing staying beyond June should the current Board decide that this would be in the best interest of Bridgeport’s students and community at large.”
Could education turnaround specialist Paul Vallas turn around and stay for a while? When Vallas was recruited to Bridgeport at the urging of Connecticut Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor more than a year ago following state control of city schools now back in local control, it was billed as a short-term measure to stabilize the deeply troubled school system, institute reforms and set the table for a long-term school chief. Now there’s chatter Vallas might consider a term appointment.
As school districts go, Bridgeport is small by comparison to the Philadelphia, Chicago and New Orleans systems he supervised, but the city has become something of a national incubator for the numerous similarly sized districts from around the country. It’s a model Vallas may want to play out for awhile. A number of positive of initiatives are underway, some that began before Vallas’ arrival such as construction of a regional magnet high school near the Trumbull line off the Route 25-8 Connector, as well as positive steps on his watch such as school safety measures, relationships with area universities, formation of a first responders program and progress toward construction of a desperately needed new Harding High School.
Vallas certainly is not intimidated by the city’s politics, he’s a political animal who was nearly elected governor of the state of Illinois 10 years ago. The larger questions center on his education interests around the country through his consulting practice as well his tolerance for the dissent on the current elected school board. Majority school board members want Vallas to stay.
Six months ago Vallas was thinking he’d stay on until the end of the 2013 school year in June while a search began for a permanent superintendent. Now word is he could consider a longer-term deal.
Lennie, you wrote, “Vallas certainly is not intimidated by the city’s politics, he’s a political animal who was nearly elected governor of the state of Illinois 10 years ago.” Well that’s nothing to brag about, the last two Illinois governors Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan, are both in jail.
As for Paul Vallas staying in Bridgeport; please, he is a hired gun and he will follow the dollar.
Ron, what if the dollar is large enough? Ramos was paid $225k, what’s Vallas worth?
Zip.
You mean what’s Valla$ worth?
Million$ of no-bid contract$.
Million$ in unchallenged budget transfer$.
Mayor Finch needs Paul Vallas staying in Bridgeport for his reelection but there is a big problem. I’m sure Finch and others promised Vallas they would change the game with the takeover of the Board Of Education to make things easy for Vallas so he wouldn’t have to answer to to the BOE. But a funny thing happened, the voters of Bridgeport told Finch no way.
So now Lennie, it goes to your question. Ramos was paid $225k, what’s Vallas worth? Where does Finch get the money to keep Vallas?
Vallas is worth zip and Finch’s big-money guys are trying to figure out how they bet on a horse that couldn’t deliver. Should have asked somebody who actually lives in Bridgeport. Not exactly a state secret.
Ron,
I think I have reached out to you in the past to have a conversation, perhaps over a cup of coffee. I think the issue of the Bridgeport Public School system and its future is a worthwhile topic. I supported with time, money and effort the NO vote to keep an elected BOE, and hopefully get a Charter Review group working on many of the broken parts of the City structure. That is up to the Mayor as we both know and he has said not a thing. Just fumed when the voters provided their mandate to the opposition.
There are three years to a Mayoral vote. Lots of time in between for revaluation follies, three budgets to prepare and manage the funds, especially the funds necessary to balance the Vallas/BOE-constructed five-year plan. The first year closed balanced, but the balance depended on the $3.5 Million CT State forgivable loan PLUS $2 Million more from the City. Have all of those credits including about $800,000 for 948 Main and its parking been tendered to the BOE? I can’t tell.
I am guessing the school construction plans and the bonding for same will be moving along faster than Steel Point. These are equally good for photo ops for whatever politician needs the moments captured for the public to see his/her smile. But the children are getting more timely and significant attention within an overall vision than before.
From what I have read, Vallas neither looked for easy, nor got it, in Chicago, Philadelphia and New Orleans. But he did get some results that were improvements where trends were not looking favorable when he started each assignment.
For all those who want to comment on the financial side or who wish to point out conflicts of interest, you know I am interested in such explorations. However from where I sit, and regularly check the landscape, the kind of info posted by the schools trumps anything we have seen from the City. I reference the school-based budgets, the use of employees and expenses in reports, and the use of excel spreadsheets to display MUNIS data in new and helpful ways, especially regarding Grants. (I get excited when I know the City Finance Director could do the same thing on the City budget side, but does not do so.)
How about that get-together, Ron. Call me at 203-259-9642. Let’s see where we have common curiosities that can push back the curtains at City Hall! Time will tell.
What will he do? What has he done?
yahooy, what have you done? Vallas is one of the best things that has happened for Bridgeport.
If you have the intellectual capacity to elaborate your position on Vallas’ alleged accomplishments, please do so. Why is he ‘the best thing?’ Specifically what has he done?
JML, too bad I lost the comment I had written minutes ago. I take it you missed the 12/10/12 BOE meeting. It’s on the government channel for anyone to see–it’s longer than four hours. Interesting revelations that came out include: 1) The Super or department heads can carry out budget transfers without the need or requirement of BOE approval. (2) The 1099 vs. W2 question in regards to BOE contractor, consultant or BOE employee. (3) Keeping the names of BOE monetary contributors/donors confidential from the public.
See how rude, nasty, disrespectful and unprofessional Mayor Bill Finch was towards Maria Pereira during the organizational portion of the meeting and how many in the crowd applauded the chump for his rant.
See how Mulligan moved to prevent or stop the search for a permanent Super and insisted Vallas be the first and only one to be considered for the position.
Joel,
I attended that meeting in person for about 75 minutes arriving shortly after the Mayor did his unstatesmanlike rant.
I missed the part about budget transfers, but am seeking the same answers from the City side. I have watched the TV re-runs for the past two nights. I seriously question the time and attention being directed to the W2 vs. 1099 matter. For folks concerned that dollars are getting to kids in the classroom, who is looking to limit the $/hour fees to Attorney Don Houston, an experienced labor professional, who is getting paid to say nothing?
And Joel, you know I am for OATS, but I also make charitable contributions where I request anonymity. As a charitable donor once the money is out of my hand I should have no expectations the funds buy me anything more than the mission of the organization is pursued. That is different from contributions for elections or gifts or jobs to those who vote while representing the people. I am satisfied to learn and understand what programs are seeking donor funds, how they are received by the public, and what results are and how communicated.
I do not fully understand the current or future position, compensation or contract structure of Paul Vallas’ agreement to serve as Superintendent. Post the facts and I will read. I would be frustrated sitting through so many soliloquies by BOE members. Maybe their comments might require a two-minute time limit, just like the public? It would focus thoughts before mouths open, no? Time will tell.
You’ve stated in the past you work for the city, so ultimately that “chump” is your boss. To call him that is rude, nasty, disrespectful and unprofessional. I cannot understand how you manage to remain on the city payroll. In the private sector if you were to refer to your boss as such, you’d have been fired. As far as Maria Pereira, she got a taste of her own medicine.
The Champion Chump has spoken. “As far as Maria Pereira, she got a taste of her own medicine.”
So what you’re saying is Bill Finch was rude, nasty, disrespectful and unprofessional towards Maria Pereira, because that’s the way she is. So it’s okay for a mayor to speak to and treat your mother that way if she were a proactive elected BOE member? Don’t forget to send him a box of Godiva Chocolate for the holidays.
Joel–First question–are the BOE videos available online? If so, could you provide a link? I have been ill and unable to attend but I have had several parents tell me about the last couple of meetings and here are their frustrations:
1) Meetings lasting more than four hours, especially when the meeting time is due to “excessive” commentary from BOE members on items they believe do not directly affect the children. Case in point–at one meeting there was an extended conversation around who was going to take meeting minutes. People have small children who need to be fed, put to bed, etc. and not all of them have money for babysitters, etc. Can’t some of this business be handled and resolved by the board alone–then reported on in the meetings?
2) Pereira (and to some extent Baraka) are starting to wear on them. The parents like having dissenting voices, but sometimes the arguments posed by them are not productive and combative and are the cause of the long meetings.
3) Pereira “taste of her own medicine”–You may not agree–but I have witnessed her on several occasions–including non BOE moments. She can be rude and disrespectful as well.
And as far as respectful elected officials, on election night I know for fact Baraka (loudly celebrating the No vote victory) got into it with the mother of Bpt school students. NO ELECTED OFFICIAL (Mayor, Council, BOE) should be rude to their constituents … period.
Lifelong Bpt,
You can access http://www.soundviewtv.org to see City Council and BOE meetings that have been archived. They are available on demand.
I just watched the December 10 Special Organizational meeting the Mayor chaired and watched his continuous confrontational and aggressive communication with regard to certain members who had opposed the Charter Review question.
I came away with a definite sense the Mayor should find a field where he is unopposed and/or unobserved by the public. He may have garnered some applause at the BOE meeting but what did that have to do with “supporting children first?” The goal is the same for all. The viewpoint on how to get there is different, obviously. And since the Mayor is more comfortable chairing meetings where he has the power and can make his personal opinions public and use the gavel to stifle response, he is out of his element and does his profile no good by his example.
We must remember there is no real opposition in the CC where everyone is in the same party and more than one third have their economic livelihood dependent on a family member with a taxpayer-funded job. Those conflicts of interest can never be absent from any decision.
You can begin to see just how accountable the Mayor meant to be had he been the appointer of all BOE positions rather than elections. The public and the BOE will have to figure out how to have more productive meetings, but they have the power to do so. BOE effectiveness along with classroom and administration initiatives using the increased resources available can get desired results from the young people.
The video archives are a real service to the public who can review them at their leisure and come to their own understanding over a period of time as to what are real problems, issues and concerns, and what are illusions. Time will tell.
The idea Vallas would be troubled by the politics of Bridgeport is a joke.
The mayor lost a vote for a charter change. Next round.
As Joel pointed out above (whether he or anybody else likes it), things are moving along.
If the Vallas firm sticks around, the reasons suggested by Lennie make sense. There are a lot of places looking for new ideas on public education. The old system works well in some places and does not work well in others.
Bridgeport is one of the places were things have not worked well. Maybe using Bridgeport as a show-and-tell activity in a city of 100,000 to 200,000 makes sense.
Finch does have control for the foreseeable future so the political stability is present for the experiment.
I have to report a Bridgeport 8th grader brought what was reported to be a gun to school today. It turned out to be a pellet gun. The police were called and the boy and the gun removed but here is the problem. No lockdown was called for, no teachers were notified except those in the immediate area. One other fact on this school is the doors to the school are never locked.
I am wondering if this incident was reported to Mr. Vallas and if so will he suspend or remove the principal. If not why not?
According to Vallas in his conversation with Fatbrizi on WICC last evening, all Bridgeport schools are currently secure. Doors not locked?
Vallas is the personification of Calamarianism. He was hand picked by those who have a keen interest in the budget not the students.
yahooy,
In an above posting you ask for intellectual capacity to explain a position of another writer, so perhaps you will exhibit some of that same I. C. now?
You say Vallas “was hand picked by those who have a keen interest in the budget not the students.” The Vallas/BOE process of the past 12 months has increased the City and State financial commitments to the students. Mayor Finch is a Calamarian? He flat-funded the BOE for four years, right? He has increased City side fiscal responsibilities posted on the Bridgeport Public Schools site in each financial statement, lest anyone forget. Until December 10, he appeared at most BOE meetings with the Board Chair to listen to questions from the public and attempt to respond to them, an unheard of behavior at public meetings where you may be taped or minutes recorded! How do you reconcile this different behavior that may be seen as threatening to true Calamarians who operate in the dark? Time will tell.
Perhaps Vallas could have his chief of security make surprise visits to all the schools and recheck security. I know for a fact this one school has been in violation since opening day. Jesus, didn’t we learn anything from Newtown?
Portable phones are marketed as the best thing since sliced bread, but to me they’re just another expensive gadget. Fincher sold us on another gadget.
*** A decision that should be left to a “elected board” “now,” after the fact since Vallas was expecting a Mayor “appointed board” and automatic extension, no? It seems an extension has always been part of the plan from day one regardless of which way things worked out with Finch only holding part of the marked cards now. However Vallas appears to be moving things along with positive improvements towards academicsand overall control of the schools again, etc. As JML would say, “time will tell!” ***
Well Lennie, Dec 19, 2012 at 2:27 pm I wrote, “So now Lennie, it goes to your question. Ramos was paid $225k, what’s Vallas worth? Where does Finch get the money to keep Vallas?”
Ron, Vallas will negotiate his deal with the BOE, not Finch who wants him to stay. I’m not convinced he’s staying, but the controlling majority on the BOE want him to stay. The school budget is roughly $226 million. They have it if they want to make Vallas the highest paid super in city history.
Lennie, I’m in agreement with you and the only way they can keep him is to make him the highest paid City employee ever and you can believe it will be way over the $225k that was paid to Ramos. I also think he will not stay.
Send JML to inspect school security. He has sipped of the Kool-Aid. Naive pedantic fool. Questioning Finch’s Calamarian proclivities.
Send JML or anyone with a brain to inspect school security at my school. I would welcome it with open arms. They will be able to walk in any door. They will be able to walk the building without signing into the office. They will witness students out of class, fighting, hanging in the restrooms and disrupting the educational process. They will see a lunchroom that is chaos.
But hey, great things are happening in Bridgeport.
Balanced budget by deferring payments
no-bid contracts
hiring of friends
running personal companies
leaving positions unfilled
hiring subs instead of certified personnel
The list goes on …
yahooy,
I was looking for an exhibit of Intellectual Capacity from you. First you must read carefully. What I was contrasting was not “Finch’s Calamarian proclivities” but by your extension, Vallas falls in the same category. His disposition has been to open up the plans, share much more than any past Superintendent and be available to provide info and answers to the public. That’s all true and part of the public record.
It does not describe Mayor Finch’s method of operation or those of his closest confidants, presumably all Calamarians?
I am aware of present security concerns in the school system and have reported them to the administration last Friday afternoon. Take a look at your routine commentary. Find any deposits of Intellectual Capacity in a moment of reflection? Time will tell.
The first guy he hired or promoted into a key role was John Fabrizi.
And your point is? Please make it. Standing around as judge and jury while hiding your identity may be fun. But provide more facts and make the point obvious, so we don’t have to guess at your meaning.
Instead, we can disagree, which you may not enjoy in your exalted intellectual capacity. Teaching is not a bad vocation in this City that has been starved for real learning for a long time, though you do not like the word ‘pedant’ very much.
Time will tell.
Loosen your bow tie. Why do you think I made the comment about Fabrizi? When the hell did you start ordering calamari?
I thought you liked Mario’s calamari.
Vallas has to go, PERIOD! He was appointed by an illegal board and has squandered our tax dollars on consultants as the Mayor has squandered our budget on construction. Maria Pereira and Sauda Baraka have done an outstanding job questioning what goes on in our school system. One of the main duties of the Board is oversight … not to rubberstamp the decisions of an unethical political hack like Paul Vallas who is looking for a payday and doesn’t see education as a calling. Look at his academic credentials in education … they are non-existent … if they do exist someone should enlighten us all on them.
BRG, JML is going to get all pedantic about your comment. Philistines like him do that all the time.
LG,
Mario’s calamari is the best. Actually, I’m offended. The Bow Tie Bozo has, apparently, acquired the taste.
*** Fabrizi’s been working adult education a long time and was a good home-town fit for the job! As for Vallas, things in general appear to be headed towards a positive direction and he was probably intending on staying a bit longer due to the nature of the educational beast in Bpt. It’s a problem that is not going to be fixed overnight and will take some patience and long-term planning by all educators involved in this ZOMBIELAND debacle! So let’s not be too quick to cry “wolf” when seeing a cocker spaniel, no? ***