Arlene Ackerman is out as Philly superintendent
8:40 p.m.
Arlene C. Ackerman's predecessor had some harsh words for her buyout.
Former CEO Paul Vallas, who left Philadelphia in 2007, said that "in this climate of fiscal distress with huge layoffs of teachers and administrators, to offer anyone $900,000 not to work is unconscionable. I think the people who agreed to this deal ought to have their heads examined.”
Of the private donations, Vallas said, “That’s about as outrageous as it gets. If you are going to raise $400,000 in private money, give it to a school, for crying out loud.”
Vallas got a buyout of $180,000 when he left the district in 2007. He went on to be schools chief in New Orleans, leaving that district this year. He's now a consultant, doing work in Haiti on rebuilding schools there.
3:50 p.m.
By late June or early July of this year, a decision had already been made that Arlene Ackerman would move on, Mayor Michael Nutter said at an afternoon news conference. He said he became involved to limit the amount of public money spent to buy Ackerman out. Her contract entitled her to more than $1.5 million; she ultimately walked away with $905,000.
The district has had to cut $629 million from its 2011-12 budget already. It must cut $35 million more.
Nutter declined to talk about what specifically Ackerman did wrong in his eyes.
But he did say that "it was a pretty tough year given the magnitude of the budgetary challenges that we faced. It’s just been a tough year." Ackerman angered Nutter in June when she blindsided him with her plan to save full-day kindergarten.
Nutter said he has long believed the mayor should have more say over what goes on in the district. As for a possible change in the governance of the district, which is now run by a School Reform Commission, he said he doesn't believe there's enough support in the Pennsylvania General Assembly for that to happen now.
The mayor repeated several times that he thinks the focus should be on opening schools on Sept. 6. He said an appropriate amount of time should be taken to search for the next superintendent, but also said that time should be taken to determine what's needed in a schools chief.
Answering questions about Acting Superintendent Leroy Nunery and whether he should have been appointed to his ex-boss's job, Nutter was clear.
"A transition is taking place," Nutter said. "We all need to move on."
2:10 p.m.
Acting Superintendent Leroy D. Nunery II said his immediate focus is very short term - on hiring teachers, preparing buildings and organizing buses to open schools successfully on Sept. 6.
"This has been a difficult time. … My goal is to do as much outreach to all our respective communities – and I do mean all,” Nunery said.
“We need resources and we need friends - two key words,” Nunery said.
Nunery said he wants the superintendent's job long-term.
1:20 p.m.
On Thursday, Arlene Ackerman publicly challenged her bosses to release her in an emotional speech at the annual principals' convocation. (A district spokeswoman said at the time that it was not a farewell speech, but it was the last speech Ackerman gave.)
Of course, this morning Ackerman, the SRC and the mayor announced she was leaving. The district has posted video of the speech on its website. Watch that here.
12:45 p.m.
Philly.com's Daniel Victor looks at how the Ackerman story unfolded, and how people are reacting. Check that out here.
12:05 p.m.
Arlene Ackerman's attorney characterizes the negotiations over her departure as "amicable" and confirmed that the superintendent gave up money for the final year of her contract to go straight to the district's Promise Academies, or overhauled schools. They were her signature initiative.
The move was "the best thing for everyone," said Robert Nix. "She's just giving back that last year and saying, 'earmark it for the Promise Academies.'"
"She essentially gets everything coming to her under her contract," said Nix, the attorney.
11:30 a.m.