Fenty Unveils Plan to Revamp Education

WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, who campaigned on a platform of revamping the District's ailing school system, unveiled his plan Thursday.

The plan for the 58,000-student school system calls for the following:

• Making the school system a cabinet level agency reporting to the mayor;
• Creating a chancellor for the D.C. Public Schools;
• Amending the District's Home Rule charter and repealing Section 452, which states the Mayor and Council may not "specify the purposes for which such funds may be expended or the amount of such funds which may be expended for the various programs under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education;"
• Amending the District's Home Rule charter and repealing Section 495, which vests the control of the schools with the Board of Education and calls for an elected school board;
• Creating an ombudsman of education;
• Creating a Facilities Management and Construction Authority that would oversee the maintenance, repair and construction of schools;
• Reviewing the performance of charter schools every 3 years.

The plan would require the approval of the City Council. Some members say they already support the initiatives. Council Chair Vincent Gray plans to hold a series of public hearings to consider the reforms.

Additionally, Fenty has appointed a deputy mayor for education to help oversee the reform efforts. Victor Renioso is a former appointed school board member who will now work with Fenty to reduce the day-to-day authority of the Board of Education.

Council member David Catania says he's impressed that Fenty is willing to stake his reputation and future on making school improvements his top priority.

Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry says the city's schools have some of the highest dropout and truancy rates in the nation and rundown and broken facilities need immediate help.

Fenty developed his plan after a trip to New York where he, council members and Superintendent Clifford Janey met with Mayor Bloomberg and New York Public Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. During that trip, New York officials showed off their school system which was taken over by the city.

(Copyright 2006 by WTOP and The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)