Fenty Lauds School System Changes
Education Accountability Remains 'Top Priority' for Administration

By Yolanda Woodlee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, March 15, 2008

A week after District schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee fired 98 school employees, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty praised her for taking "dramatic steps" to fix the city's troubled educational system.

He made his remarks in his second State of the District address, in which he pledged to continue to keep education as the city's "top priority."

In a 33-minute speech delivered at the Washington Seniors Wellness Center in Southeast, Fenty (D) talked about his administration's improvements in health care, public safety, affordable housing and economic development. The city has added 299 police officers, for a total of 4,000; about 14,300 units of affordable housing are planned; and every student who wants a summer job "will have one," Fenty said. His speech was interrupted by applause 14 times.

Education was Fenty's main focus. In June, he said the District became the fourth major city to place the authority for educating students in the mayor's office.

"For the first time ever, we now know where the buck stops when it comes to realizing the aspirations of our children," Fenty said.

He devoted 10 minutes to outlining changes that occurred this school year, including hiring 425 teachers and 20 principals, and delivering 97 percent of textbooks to students on the first day. He said 6,374 computers were installed at schools and the 14-week program Saturday Scholars is helping 7,500 students improve reading and math skills.

Though Fenty did not mention last week's firings in the central administration, he said residents can already see there is a "new culture of accountability" at the school system's headquarters. "With a new management team at the helm and new personnel rules in place, we will make sure every single DCPS employee is focused on the one thing that matters: educating our children."

Erma Simon, a Hillcrest resident, said she likes what Fenty has accomplished in the past 15 months.

"He's doing a very good job in the short time he's been here," she said, adding that the firings were necessary. "I always thought the administration was top-heavy and more money should be spent in the classroom."

Rhee, who was on Capitol Hill yesterday to discuss the school system's long-term plans, did not attend Fenty's speech. None of his top Cabinet members, whom he publicly thanked, was there either.

Four of the council's 13 members attended: Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) and council members Carol Schwartz (R-At Large), Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) and Yvette M. Alexander (D-Ward 7), whose district includes the senior center. Council members said they learned of Fenty's address Wednesday.

Barbara McCoy, a Ward 7 advisory neighborhood commissioner, said she got a last-minute phone call from Fenty's office Thursday.

Unlike other administrations, which held the address in large auditoriums, Fenty has held both of his speeches in intimate settings east of the Anacostia River. This year's event attracted about 70 people, including many seniors who attend activities at the center and 24 students and faculty members visiting from Paul Quinn College in Dallas. The college's president, Michael Sorrell, was a classmate of Fenty's at Oberlin College.

"He's accomplished a lot in a short period of time," Sorrell said.

Carrie Brooks, the mayor's spokeswoman, said Fenty held the event at a senior center last year and wanted to do the same this year so "he could talk with people and have a more meaningful experience."

Fenty made no mention of the $50 million embezzlement scandal at the Office of Tax and Revenue, which is under the independent authority of Natwar M. Gandhi, but has rocked the city, or the fatal police shooting of 14-year-old DeOnt¿ Rawlings.

"The real focus of the speech was to talk about accomplishments," she said. "It was intended to be upbeat."

After the speech, Gray said he was pleased that Fenty had singled out the council. "It was a good mood speech."