Michelle Rhee's contentious tenure as D.C. schools chief is coming, as expected, to an end: she's announcing her resignation today. Her time running the public school system of the nation's capital was marked by an aggressive reform platform and teacher firings that drew criticism to her and Mayor Adrian Fenty, whose fate was tethered, somewhat, to the political risks of Rhee's agenda. See this Atlantic.com piece by Natalie Hopkinson on how Rhee's reforms alienated some voters from Fenty and ultimately led to his loss in the D.C. mayoral primary to his political rival, City Council Chairman Vincent Gray.
The Washington Post reports on Rhee's departure:
Rhee survived three contentious years that made her a superstar of the education reform movement and one of the longest-serving school leaders in the city in two decades. Student test scores rose, and the teachers union accepted a contract that gave the chancellor sweeping powers to fire the lowest-performing among them.But Rhee will leave with considerable unfinished business in her quest to improve teaching, close the worst schools and infuse a culture of excellence in a system that has been one of the nation's least effective at educating students.She will be replaced until at least the end of the school year by Deputy Chancellor Kaya Henderson, a close associate.
Read the full story at the Post.
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