Jean-Claude Brizard Named CEO Of Chicago Public Schools (VIDEO)

Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel is setting his sights on Chicago schools. As he prepares to tackle what will be the signature issue of his first year in office, he announced Monday that he has chosen a leadership team to implement his reforms.

At the head of that team will sit Jean-Claude Brizard, currently the Superintendent of the Rochester City School District in New York. Emanuel announced Monday morning that Brizard will be the new Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools.

Brizard has spent three years at the helm of the Rochester schools. His tenure saw improved graduation rates and higher test scores in math and English, but was also marked by clashes with teachers' unions over a push for increased charter schools and merit pay. An overwhelming 95 percent of teachers voted "no confidence" in Brizard, in an unprecedented vote taken by the Rochester Teachers Association.

Before that time, Brizard worked as a regional superintendent for the New York City schools, where he supervised over 100 K-12 schools. The Haiti native began his career as a junior high and high school science teacher in New York, according to his bio at RCSD.

Emanuel called him an "experienced educator and proven manager," the Associated Press reports.

Also named in the announcement: Dr. Noemi Donoso, a former principal and instructor who now serves in the Denver Public Schools, will be Chief Education Officer; Tim Cawley of the Academy for Urban School Leadership will be Chief Operating Officer; and Diana Ferguson will stay on as the district's Chief Financial Officer.

WATCH Brizard's comments following the announcement here:

View more videos at: http://www.nbcchicago.com.

Comments

[sawyer0413]

12:29 PM on 04/19/2011

This is always interesting to me. In every political office, the candidate must establish residency, and the elected official must retain residency in order to be selected for a job. Why? Because it is vitality important to know the issues important to that electorate. The Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools is a political job. It requires tremendous insight into the local issues and realities of Chicago. I can imagine there are a significant number of highly qualified candidates, including many with Ph.D.s and other advanced qualifications. Chicago is a great city that deserves better schools, and this selection does not seem to place full faith and confidence in the professionals of Chicago to lead CPS in the right direction. It is one of those things that make you go Hmmmmm.

[gavrielle]

11:44 AM on 04/19/2011

How about he set his sights on the Chicago Housing Authority and get rid of the career criminals running the joint and sitting on the board of directors? You know, those folks who have robbed the taxpayers blind and given nothing in return - except for empty lots and broken communities. Those with their fingers in the real estate pie, looking for government handouts to build condos and high end homes on the backs of the poor, by displacing whole communities. The ones currently creating a ghetto by "consolidating" the only successful public housing project in the city, so they can build river front properties at no cost to themselves, but at great cost to the taxpayer. And in an area with a high-end housing glut. Manny Flores made a bundle off the deal - and has fled to Springfield while he reaps the rewards of his perfidy.

[bluecollaramerican]

06:48 AM on 04/19/2011

Anybody remember Argie Johnson?

Ted Kimbrough?

Ruth Love?

They were three of the last outsiders brought in to work their miracles as Chicago schools superintendent in the years before Mayor Daley took responsibility for the public school system in 1995.

Johnson came from the New York schools, Kimbrough from Compton, Calif., and Love from Oakland. Each arrived with a better reputation than they had when they left.

[unpaidpundit]

06:37 AM on 04/19/2011

I live in Rochester, NY, and I can't figure out what Chicago officials are thinking. Jean-Claude Brizzard was a dreadful failure here. Graduation rates continue to hover around 50%. Any improvement during Brizzard's tenure was a statistical blip. What's worse, a recent study showed that only 5% of Rochester City School District graduates are capable of doing college level work. Rochester, as a midsized city, is a waystation for school superintendents. Our previous superintendents have left for jobs in places like Boston and Washington, D.C., where they have also failed. I would thank Chicago for taking Brizzard off our hands, but I'm sure the Rochester school board will find someone just as bad.

[cbsnwdc1]

07:15 AM on 04/19/2011

I don't recall DC getting any of your superintendents. I heard great things about this guy. Chicago is happy to have him. And I am sure he is happy to be leaving hillbilly hill

[magmom]

09:14 AM on 04/19/2011

HillBilly Hilll???? Really, you want to call our city names??? Very mature. And to clarify...Clifford Janey went to Washington DC! Get you r own facts straight and have fun with Brizard!

[gavrielle]

11:47 AM on 04/19/2011

Rochester is a gorgeous city! They really know how to set up for the winter. I've lived in both Chicago and Rochester, and Rochester knows how to deal with brutal winters far better than we do here. Everything downtown is connected by tunnels and closed overpasses. Moving around the city is a breeze. And it's pretty! Chicago, by comparison, is a dump full of backward yuppies from the burbs.

[Jack Barron]

05:15 AM on 04/19/2011

Get to know your new CEO:

http://www.13wham.com/content/blogs/story/Chicago-Heres-Your-Guide-to-Brizard/rxoMgQsKCE6_A7XmVviXbg.cspx

There definitely seems to be a pattern of incompetence and corruption here.
Should fit in just fine at CPS.

[Howard53545]

04:22 AM on 04/19/2011

Another loser coming to the windy city. He will not last a year bf they tear his arse up.

[royce76]

01:36 AM on 04/19/2011

Anyone think they'll use recess to drive a wedge between the HS and Elem teachers? True, HS are under severe privatization attack, but I think the elem. teachers are going to be facing A LOT more face time with students. Time to start inviting parents to the classroom so they can see firsthand the difference between teaching lessons and teaching to the test?

A part of me wants to like the guy since he used to teach middle school science, which is what I teach. How can any self-respecting general ed middle school science teacher in a minority district see school reform equal more testing? So now they'll have a Science Test every year? An Art test, as well? How about a traffic and safety test? They should know Greek Mythology too...

[YOKEL13]

12:43 AM on 04/19/2011

... and the new CPS CEO is: Todd Stroger!

[kristensquire]

09:53 PM on 04/18/2011

I do not envy you, Chicago. Brizard earned himself a 95% no-confidence vote from teachers, a 5% college-readiness in graduates (of which are only 46% of students), unsafe schools and cut programs. Rochester is not sad to see him go, but I am sad to see that he still managed to get another superintendent job. Business men think the business model can apply to anything, sadly.

[magmom]

09:37 PM on 04/18/2011

Now, Jean Claude has followed through on creating the Rochester Curriculum which is something that has been so needed. But, it is not up and fully functional for all grades so again how can he up and leave and not see this followed through on. He also gave all the principals their autonomous budgets recently and again he isn't staying to see that through. There are going to be so many learning curves with that and he should be here to see it through. Lastly, why is Rahm Emmanuel calling him J C???? His name is Jean Claude. I have never seen him referred to as JC in Rochester or any writings throughout his time in NYC. It actually came across so ridiculous today.....call him his name. I only wish good things for all children ion Rochester and Chicago. Sadly, Rochester is no better than we were and I hope the same will not be true in Chicago. However, if Jean Claude continues to make promises, lay out foundations but then leaves when things get tough or the #2 largest district comes available then Chicago will suffer the same as Rochester. It is time for him to become a role model.....I hope in time he reflects on the pathetic and weak way he treated Rochester today and speaks directly to his staff and student to apologize for not taking the high road.

[Venicelady]

10:46 PM on 04/18/2011

Magmom- DON'T hold your breath waiting for Brizard to apologize. Just not the way these people operate.

[magmom]

09:36 PM on 04/18/2011

One of my favorites is that he virtually eliminated suspensions.....what Jean Claude leaves out is that he took suspension rights away from principals. Do not kid yourselves, the Rochester City Schools are no safer and behavior is no better....if anything it is worse. Now students get to come to school and be afraid of the students they are around. Additionally, he did not meet with teachers on any regular schedule and most certainly refused to answer emails from teachers or even look at teachers when they were speaking at board meetings. Instead, he typically would be texting on his cell phone while teachers, parents and students would try and express their thoughts to him. Perhaps, Rahm and others from Chicago should have come to a Board Meeting in Rochester to witness that first hand.

[Venicelady]

09:51 PM on 04/18/2011

Texting on his cell phone while teachers, parents, and students would try to express their thoughts to him?

This is common among school administration officials here in the NYC/DOE, where Brizard is from originally. As for the suspension rates being lowered- same thing here in NYC. everything is hushed up.

Apparently, Mr. Brizard has learned his lessons well while working under Joel Klein, our former Chancellor. Pity for the Chicago school system and the students, teachers, and parents there.

and reformsAs for you, magmom, thanks for telling the truth. Same things are STILL going on in NYCDOE, in spite of the successes touted by Brizard's former boss, Mayor Bloomberg.

Hope your new Superintendent of Schools is a person that truly does put children first, rather than just looking to advance his or her own career, at the expense of the students and other stakeholders.

[Venicelady]

10:31 PM on 04/18/2011

Shoud read: "In spite of the successes and reforms"

Don't know how that was transposed- apologies.

[magmom]

09:35 PM on 04/18/2011

I am so disappointed on so many fronts.....Jean Claude came to Rochester promising so many things and he has started many of those things. However, he is a smart enough man to know that he would be met with challenges and resistance. What makes a great leader is someone who stays strong and still follows through. He also signed his new contract with a guaranteed raise each year without tying that raise to any signs of student success yet he refuses to commit to any teacher contract unless their salary is tied to student success...yet he has yet to define how he would measure that success. State test scores are not enough especially when you look at students with special needs. I at least understood his raise because he also agreed that he couldn't leave without a mutual agreement between him and the board. Yet today he texted a message to the board president and then stood by Rahm Emmanual's side. What kind of men would think this is the appropriate to resign? They should be role models to the students of Chicago and Rochester and today they both taught students that you do not need to follow through on your commitments and you do not need to respect your employers. They should be ashamed of their actions today. In addition, the statistics used today about his performance are totally misrepresented.

[tultican]

09:07 PM on 04/18/2011

Bizzard is a graduate of the Broad Superintendents Academy Class of 2007. Chicago Magazine says he has “connections to powerful, nationally famous school reformers. Brizard is an admirer of Michelle Rhee, the controversial former head of the DC schools, and co-authored a Washington Post editorial on school reform (PDF) along with Joel Klein (Brizard's boss in NYC), Huberman, and others.” It is sad to see two great school systems, LA and Chicago, being run by a philosophy that devalues professional educators and values harsh top down management with a belief in high stakes testing. I feel sorry for the children and educators in Chicago. Professional educators in the Rochester schools held a no confidence vote on Bizzard in February. Out of 2868 votes cast 2713 indicated that they do not have confidence in him. So what possessed Ron Emanuel to pick this guy? Money from Billionaires?

[mzsuzuki]

07:25 PM on 04/18/2011

Another Broad Fellow....These broad fellows are everywhere! Yet they are not implementing any innovative programs or strategies that will help to improve public education.

[CitizenZoe]

05:56 PM on 04/18/2011

I'm not sure what Rham is hoping to achieve with Brizard - a whipping boy to go in and fight with the Unions or someone to take the fall when the house of cards goes down... all I can say is that I live and work in the heart of Rochester and no one here will miss him. Except maybe Adam Urbanski - Brizard was some good cardio for the ole guy!