For the first year, he didn't even live in San Diego but rather commuted from New York three days a week. Title I advisory committee, according to Theresa Creber, chair of the 140-member group of parents and teachers. The committee is now suing the district in an effort to halt the plan. When Alvarado designed special literacy classes to help low-performing high school students meet state accountability requirements, he did it without speaking to the heads of the teachers and administrators organizations. Despite the rough start and raw feelings, San Diego's duo finally may be settling in.
Test scores are on the rise.
And, as part of extending Alvarado's contract for four years, the board required that he attend board meetings more often. In Seattle, Supt. Joseph Olchefske, a former investment banker and the district's second non-traditional CEO, recently conducted a national search to fill the chief academic officer position, which previously was held by the current San Francisco superintendent, Arlene Ackerman. Philadelphia, whose new superintendent, Philip Goldsmith, is a prominent banker, revamped its governance structure to give more responsibility to the top education officer position. And New York City Chancellor Harold Levy, a former business executive, recently tried to woo Alvarado back from sunny California.