City to Lose Leading Administrator to Superintendent's Job in Minn.

Meria J. Carstarphen, a D.C. school official who has been in charge of some of Superintendent Clifford B. Janey's key initiatives, is leaving to become school superintendent in St. Paul, Minn.

In a school system where turnover has long been a problem, Carstarphen's impending departure prompted concerns yesterday among D.C. Council members, school board members, parents and principals that academic reforms launched by Janey could be jeopardized.

Carstarphen, 36, who was selected from among five candidates by the St. Paul school board Tuesday night, has been the D.C. school system's chief accountability officer for 18 months.

During that time, she oversaw the development of reading and math standards introduced in the fall, completing in less than a year a process that typically takes three to five years in most school districts. She also assisted in the hiring of a record number of new teachers and principals last year and the introduction of a computer system.

Carstarphen, whose departure date has not been determined, was working on several other major changes: a set of standardized tests that will be introduced next month; science and social studies standards to be considered by the school board in a few months; the conversion of five high schools into specialty academies over the next two years; and a plan to turn around about 75 other low-performing schools through various forms of intervention.

"This leaves a huge hole in the [public schools'] leadership. This will not be an easy position to replace," said D.C. Council member Kathy Patterson (D-Ward 3), who chairs the education committee.

Patterson urged Janey to identify a qualified candidate soon so that a successor can begin as soon as Carstarphen leaves. She expressed dismay that Janey has not yet found a replacement for Raymond Bryant, who resigned as the system's executive director of special education a year ago.

"The superintendent has to move quickly," Patterson said. "We can't see the inaction on the academic side that we're seeing with special education."

Carstarphen, who was still in St. Paul yesterday, did not return a phone call seeking comment. Janey issued a statement yesterday wishing Carstarphen well. He said in the statement that although he had not yet identified an interim or permanent successor, he had "the utmost confidence that my senior management team . . . will continue to operate at the highest level and to advance the work of our school district."

During her tenure, Carstarphen was praised for her energy, which she displayed by putting in all-nighters. She also was criticized for demanding unquestioning loyalty and cooperation from principals, teachers and parents, in some cases chastising employees who raised questions about initiatives she was leading.

Board member Victor Reinoso (District 2) said that the school system should not put so much of its reform effort under the control of one person. "I think there's a danger in assuming the changes are dependent upon specific personalities," he said. "If you do that, the nature of the change is going to be temporary."

Mary Filardo, executive director of 21st Century School Fund, which studies school facilities issues, said Carstarphen's broad role was not clearly defined and overlapped with the duties of the chief academic officer, causing confusion for principals.