The case will be opened in 2007, when the Washington, DC public school system is failing. Parents, politicians, trade unions and activists all agreed that reform was necessary due to a terrible student tests, attendance records and security. But stakeholders agreed strongly on how to achieve their common goal of providing a good education for the children of the city. Reformers wanted to close the lack of schools, parents want to choose where their children went to school, and teachers' union wanted more compensation for teachers. Michelle Rhee, former teacher and "outsiders," was hired by Mayor Adrian Fenty to initiate a broad and rapid reforms. As chancellor, Rhee came under fire from teachers and their unions, parents and the community for its rapid movement to close underperforming schools and, controversially, to fire teachers rated as "ineffective" at IMPACT, value-added assessment system designed to isolate each unique contribution of teachers in the educational achievement of students based on student assessment tests. The case examines the steps taken to reform Man DC public schools and the support and the opposition she encountered along the way, culminating in her November 2010 retirement. Case number 1958 "Hide
by Laura Winig Source: Harvard Kennedy School 16 pages. Publication Date: August 23, 2012. Prod. #: HKS694-PDF-ENG
Related Case Solutions & Analyses:
inge watertechnologies GmbH
The IPO of Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) (A)
Philip McCrea: Once an Entrepreneur … (B)
Work is Good: Branding the EmployAbility Mission
UpDown: Confidential Instructions for PHUC
Lycos (A): The Tripod Decision
Major Global Stock Exchanges
Fresh Look at Industry and Market Analysis
Taran Swan at Nickelodeon Latin America (D)
The Home Depot, Inc.
