Deasy out at SUSD

See previous posts on John Deasy, former PG County Superintendent on this blog including this article:  http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2014/08/npr-investigation-by-member-station.html

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The Stockton Unified School District Board of Education voted 4-3 in favor of accepting the resignation of superintendent John Deasy after a special meeting Tuesday.

Voting in favor of dismissing Deasy were board president Kathy Garcia, board vice president Maria Mendez, Cecilia Mendez and Scott McBrian. Voting no were Candelaria Vargas, Lange Luntao and Angel Ann Flores.

After opening the meeting and listening to 20 minutes of public comments sent to the district via email, the seven-member board went into closed session and announced their decision after about 90 minutes of discussion...

https://www.recordnet.com/news/20200421/deasy-out-at-susd

Superintendent Searches: "...head hunters who seek out candidates rather than opening up the job to any and all comers...:

Same Names, Different District: Why Superintendent Searches Can Be a Game of Musical Chairs

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/District_Dossier/2018/05/different_district_same_name_why_the_same_names_keep_popping_up_in_school_districts.html

MD State Board of Education President Andy Smarick Congratulates John Deasy on Latest Superintendent Position

Congratulations to John Deasy, one of the most curious, open-minded, energetic education leaders around. https://t.co/CpvuBN56Xz

— Andy Smarick (@smarick) May 3, 2018

And this Tweet from the reporter who covered the vote to hire John Deasy to be the Superintendent of Stockton Unified School District in California.

Heading home now. Story on the next #SUSD superintendent John Deasy will be online soon and in print Wed. Couldn’t fit all what happened in, but I will say no one in audience cheered when vote was made.

— Nicholas Filipas (@nicholasfilipas) May 9, 2018

Former P.G. Superintendent John Deasy finalist in CA school system

...John Deasy was named Wednesday as the finalist to become superintendent of San Joaquin County’s largest school district.

“I’m thrilled to be taking the job,” Deasy, 58, said during a phone interview from Los Angeles. “I’m humbled, honored and very thankful for the board to consider me.”

Deasy’s career in education spans 35 years, with beginnings as a high school teacher, principal and several superintendent roles on both coasts.

Most recently, Deasy led Los Angeles Unified, the nation’s second-largest school district, from 2011 to 2014. Before that tenure, he served as superintendent in Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland from 2006 to 2008, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified from 2001 to 2006, and Coventry Public Schools in Rhode Island from 1996 to 2001.

After his time at LAUSD, he became superintendent consultant for the Broad Center, where he coaches current and emerging national education leaders, according to an online biography. He also maintains a management consulting practice and is active on a number of boards, including those of UnboundED, College Summit and Cambiar.

He is the board chairman of Reset: New Day, New Year, an alternative prison for young men, and editor-in-chief of “The Line,” a magazine dedicated to civil discourse on pressing social issues, education and social justice.

Born in Boston and raised both there and in Providence, Rhode Island, Deasy earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Providence College and a doctorate from the University of Louisville in Kentucky...

http://www.recordnet.com/news/20180502/former-los-angeles-superintendent-picked-to-lead-stockton-unified

L.A. school district demands iPad refund from Apple

From the LA Times, by reporter Howard Blume. For the complete story go here.
Contact info: howard.blume@latimes.com  @HowardBlume

The Los Angeles Unified School District is seeking to recoup millions of dollars from technology giant Apple over a problem-plagued curriculum that was provided with iPads intended to be given to every student, teacher and administrator.

To press its case, the Board of Education on Tuesday authorized its attorneys in a closed-door meeting to explore possible litigation against Apple and Pearson, the company that developed the curriculum as a subcontractor to Apple.

L.A. schools Supt. Ramon C. Cortines “made the decision that he wanted to put them on notice, Pearson in particular, that he’s dissatisfied with their product,” said David Holmquist, general counsel for the nation’s second-largest school system. He said millions of dollars could be at stake.

And:

 The $1.3-billion iPad effort was a signature program under then-Supt. John Deasy. But it faltered almost immediately during the fall 2013 rollout of the devices. Questions later arose about whether Apple and Pearson enjoyed an advantage in the bidding process; an FBI criminal investigation is ongoing.

And:

Under the contract, Pearson was to provide English and math curriculum. The district selected Pearson based only on samples of curriculum — nothing more was available.

L.A. Unified made the deal anyway; it wanted to bundle the curriculum and the device into a single price. A three-year license to use the curriculum added about $200 to the $768 cost of each iPad. The entire purchase then was financed through school construction bonds, which can be used to purchase computers.

L.A. Unified bought 43,261 iPads with the Pearson curriculum. The district purchased another 77,175 iPads under the contract without the Pearson curriculum to be used initially for state standardized tests.

John Deasy Can Now Train New Superintendents!

 And the cycle continues...

LA TIMES: Ex-schools chief Deasy to work for leadership academy of Eli Broad

Former Los Angeles schools chief John Deasy has accepted a consulting job as “superintendent in residence” for a training and coaching program funded by local philanthropist Eli Broad.
Deasy, 54, resigned under pressure last October after leading the nation’s second-largest school system for three and a half years...

...Under Deasy, L.A. Unified continued an incremental rise in student achievement, even during a period of deep budget cuts. But his last year was marred by two troubled technology projects: A $1.3-billion effort to provide iPads to all students stalled and eventually led to an FBI investigation, and a new student records system malfunctioned this fall, putting students at risk of failing to obtain graduation and college admission records...

Breaking News: Deasy Out After Failed iPad Project

Former Prince George's County Public Schools superintendent John Deasy in the news:

Deasy, 53, has led the district for 3.5 years. During that time, he has faced much scrutiny and criticism, especially over two technology projects, one of which would have spent more than $1 billion to provide an iPad to every student, teacher and administrator at Los Angeles USD schools.

 http://ktla.com/2014/10/16/embattled-lausd-superintendent-john-deasy-expected-to-step-down-get-60k/

NPR: Investigation by member station KPCC, which obtained emails between Deasy and tech executives that bring into question whether the initial bidding process was fair. #JohnDeasy #Pearson #Apple #Ipads

"...Pearson software wasn't ready..." 

Deasy "not uncommon to meet with" vendors prior to competition...

NPR:  The LA School iPad Scandal: What You Need To Know

A massive expansion of classroom technology has come to a grinding halt in Los Angeles.
The L.A. Unified School District had planned to buy some 700,000 iPads for its students and teachers. The Apple tablets would include learning software built by publishing giant Pearson. But Superintendent John Deasy announced earlier this week he is cancelling the contract and restarting the bidding process.
The decision comes on the heels of an investigation by member station KPCC, which obtained emails between Deasy and tech executives that bring into question whether the initial bidding process was fair. First, some context...
The goal of the expansion was simple yet ambitious: to equip every student in the nation's second-largest school district with a tablet computer. The expected price tag for equipment, software and wi-fi upgrades to schools: $1.3 billion...

...Then came the emails.
"Looking forward to further work together for our youth in Los Angeles!" Deasy wrote to Marjorie Scardino, then Pearson's CEO, on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, after hearing an initial pitch over lunch.
"Dear John, It's I who should thank you," Scardino replied. "I really can't wait to work with you."
KPCC reports these notes were going back and forth long before the tech contract was ultimately opened for competitive bidding:
KPCC's investigation found Deasy and his deputies communicated with Pearson employees over pricing, teacher training and technical support — specifications that later resembled the district's request for proposals from vendors. Pearson and Apple emerged as the winning bidders and were awarded the now-abandoned contract in June 2013...

Deasy + iPADs + Pearson = FAIL

John Deasy = former Prince George's County Public School's superintendent with the resume issues.

Pearson = of the Jerry Weast + Pearson connection

The Washington Post: Student hackers lead L.A. schools to halt major iPad initiative

The $1 billion initiative by the Los Angeles public schools district to give an iPad to all 650,000 students and teachers for home use has hit a snag that, in hindsight, someone should have seen coming: student hackers.
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, officials in the country’s second-largest school district stopped allowing home use of the iPads this week because high school students had hacked into the devices and used them for non-educational purposes such as tweeting, checking their Facebook accounts and streaming music.
...Students were supposed to use the iPads, each loaded with software designed by Pearson Education...
...The iPad initiative has proved controversial. Some critics said the school district was spending too much money on technology that might have little impact on student achievement...

Starr's Hire is a Broad Academy Graduate

The Montgomery County Board of Education Appointed Dr. Kimberly Statham as Deputy Superintendent on Superintendent Joshua Starr's recommendation.  Ms. Statham is a graduate of the Broad Superintendent's Academy.  MCPS has sent a number of administrators to the Broad Superintendent's Academy over the last few years.  

Maryland's new State Superintendent is also a Broad Academy graduate. 

Here's a guide for parents to acquaint them with the academy.

A Parent Guide to the Broad Foundation’s training programs and education policies

The question I ask is why should Eli Broad and Bill Gates have more of a say as to what goes on in my child’s classroom than I do? ...

Deasy locks media out of parent meeting

Out in California, former Prince George's County Public Schools Superintendent John Deasy is in the news...

L.A. NOW:   'Culture of silence' probed at school rocked by sex-abuse scandal

John Deasy tapped to take over LAUSD - LA Daily News

John Deasy tapped to take over LAUSD - LA Daily News

...Deasy, LAUSD's fifth superintendent in a decade, will receive an annual salary of $330,000 - an increase of $80,000 from retiring Superintendent Ramon Cortines' salary of $250,000.

He will also receive full medical and retirement benefits, an expense account, and a district car and driver...

L.A. NOW:  L.A. Unified selects Deasy as superintendent of schools

...The contract also includes a potential $10,000 bonus for incentives related to student achievement...

Deasy new LA Superintendent

Inside Ed: Former Prince George's chief appointed to head LA schools

John Deasy, who left the Prince George's County superintendent's job after struggles with the board, has just been named the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District... 

LA Times:  New L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy is seemingly a man of contradictions

L.A. Unified Superintendent John Deasy has ties to the Gates Foundation, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Eli Broad...

Deasy now LA Deputy Superintendent

Controversies Surround LAUSD's New Hire John Deasy

Board members of the Los Angeles Unified School District agreed to hire John Deasy as deputy superintendent yesterday, which will make him a major player in the operation of the nation's second largest public school system, and a possible successor to Superintendent Ramon Cortines.

While the Los Angeles Times touts Deasy's previous jobs with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Prince George's Public County Schools in Maryland, and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, the Griffith Park Wayist reports that the new deputy superintendent found himself in the middle of two major controversies only a few years ago...

Former MD Superintendent on teacher salaries

Gates Foundation’s Education Deputy: Reform Teachers’ Pay Structure

 ...Dr. Deasy is the recently hired deputy director of education for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and former superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland. He was an afternoon speaker at Santa Clara County Office of Education’s Charter School Summit...

...Deasy said there is a “currency of privilege” for those parents in the know and with the highest education levels to have the ability to make certain their children receive the best teachers in the school at each grade level. This practice obviously flies in the face of equity for all. Students who live in circumstances of poverty do not get the best teachers. SJ 2020 take note.

Deasy said we know who the best teachers are in each school. The most effective teachers, about 25% of a school’s faculty, get more than a year’s growth per student for a year of study.  We must turn schools into a culture of performance rather than one of compliance, Deasy opined.

In order to make this critical transition we must change the manner to which we use public money to fund teacher salaries. Those teachers with highly successful skill sets for increasing student achievement for all their students are not compensated well enough in today’s salary structure practices.

It will not take more money to be poured into the system of public education, but a reallocation of the way we currently spend our bucks.  For example, Deasy said $8.4 billion dollars nationally goes into compensate teachers with a Masters (MA/MS) degree yet there is no relationship between a MA degree and increased student achievement. Of course, we also compensate teachers based on the number of years of experience and the number of units accrued beyond a BA degree, yet there are no corollaries to increases in student achievement for either. School districts spend 1.5% of their certificated salaries for what is called “step and column” movement each year....