Emanuel Names Brizard CPS CEO Choice

By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 18, 2011 4:35PM

It looks as though the only thing left between Mayor-elect Emanuel installing Rochester (NY) City Schools Superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard as CEO of Chicago Public Schools is the signature on a contract. Emanuel announced his selection of Brizard for the CPS Superintendent position today.

Brizard's track record in Rochester, notably expanding charter schools, closing under-performing schools and merit-based pay, fall in line with many of the plans Emanuel has for the school system. The Chicago Teachers Union may also be looking at Brizard with a wary eye, given his history of clashing with teachers in Rochester. Given the concessions teachers unions across the state recently made for the sweeping educational reforms passed in Springfield, Brizard's hiring may not bode well for a teachers union which hasn't called a strike since 1987. Brizard is also coming into a school system ten times the size of Rochester wtrying to deal with a $720 million deficit. Emanuel also named Dave Vitale as his choice for president of the Chicago Board of Education.