Emanuel Names New Head of CPS

by Mark Cavers Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel has named Jean-Claude Brizard to serve as the new head of the Chicago Public Schools. Mr. Brizard spent the past three years as the Superintendent of the Rochester School District where he pushed for a number of the education reforms that Chicago will need to implement to give our kids...

by Mark Cavers

Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel has named Jean-Claude Brizard to serve as the new head of the Chicago Public Schools. Mr. Brizard spent the past three years as the Superintendent of the Rochester School District where he pushed for a number of the education reforms that Chicago will need to implement to give our kids the best chance to get a great education.

An editorial Brizard co-authored in the Washington Post with Michelle Rhee last October gives us an insight into what steps he may take in Chicago. The piece called for reforms that would make performance a part of personnel decision, bringing technology into the classroom, and expand charter schools. All are significant pro-student reforms.

Much of what he advocated during his time in New York has been echoed by Mayor-elect Emanuel, and can be seen in policies like Senate Bill 7 now under consideration in Springfield.

Above all else, Brizard seems determined to give our kids the best possible learning environment. He has called for closing failing schools and moved to protect students from bad teachers and reward the best teachers.

Emanuel’s decision to bring Mr. Brizard on as CEO along with a reform minded Board of Education and the recent events coming out of Springfield all signal hope for the children of Chicago and our state as a whole.