Worry Over City Takeover Permeates Election

"I just don't see a mayoral takeover as serving any purpose but probably to make [the school system] more unstable and make more parents leave," said Arlotto, a member of the Save Our Schools Coalition. "I also feel like it's going to subvert our elected school board."

In visits to two Capitol Hill schools last week, Fenty told parents he wants to give high-performing schools more autonomy while moving to replace staff at failing schools. He has yet to devise a formal proposal but said he intends to submit a plan to the D.C. Council before inauguration day.

School Superintendent Clifford B. Janey said he will announce a plan this month to close failing schools and reopen them next fall with new staff and current employees who must reapply for their jobs.

"We want to bring up the bottom so that we can become a district of choice," he said.

Fenty's plans were the subject of a mayoral radio debate last week when District 3 school board candidate Brannum called in to say that Janey should be given a chance to implement his plans to improve academics and facilities.

"Shouldn't we let these programs fall into place before we talk about a massive overhaul?" Brannum asked on air.

Fenty said that the school board often bogs down and slows reform.

"Do we really need nine people making day-to-day decisions about how to run the school system?" Fenty said. "If every decision requires a lengthy discussion, nothing ever happens."

Hardly anyone is satisfied with how the school board currently performs. In addition to the serious academic and physical problems, the school board's responsibility over 18 public charter schools is a prime example of the board's troubles.

Because of its poor oversight, the board this year closed Jos-Arz Therapeutic Public Charter School, a residential facility for emotionally disturbed students. The city had invested $15 million in the Northeast school to reduce the high costs of sending students to facilities across the country.

In the spring, federal authorities launched an investigation into Brenda L. Belton, who was executive director of the charter school oversight office. Investigators are trying to determine whether there is a link between Belton, who was fired last month, and a contractor, Equal Access in Education, whose billing address is a duplex formerly owned by Belton and currently owned by her daughter.

This month, the school board is scheduled to consider whether it will shift its chartering authority to another entity, such as a nonprofit organization or university. By the end of the year, Congress will decide whether to shift all state functions to another entity. By acting as a state department and a local system, some senators have said, the school system's central administration oversees itself.

If Fenty gets his way, he would be the chief administrator.

After inspecting a buckled floor and other water damage in the gym at Roosevelt Senior High School in Northwest last week, he said that schools "have got to rise to a higher level of priority in this city."

Staff writer David Nakamura contributed to this report.