The Governor Markell FOIA Release: Rodel, Herdman, RTTT, Common Core, and guess who’s coming to town…

For those who may not be aware, I requested a Freedom of Information Act request from Delaware Governor Jack Markell’s office on December 3rd, 2014.  I received it today, January 12th, 2015.  My request was for all emails between Markell and the following individuals: US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Michelle Rhee, Joel Klein (of Amplify) and Paul Herdman of The Rodel Foundation of Delaware.

Some things are obvious from this FOIA release.  Governor Jack Markell does not communicate big education matters via email.  At least not his official state email.  For a Governor that pushes education so much, you would think there would be more communication with his partner on the Education Blueprint.  Some questions that are answered in this:

1) How did Paul Herdman get into Rodel?

2) What charter chain may be filing a charter application this month and how could this possibly have something to do with priority schools?

3) Can a non-disclosure agreement be released?

4) Did I get everything? (Jury is out on this, but the initial inspiration of this request makes me wonder)

5) When did Markell first become aware of Mark Murphy?

Updated: Many people are already freaking out over the possibility of a KIPP Charter Chain possibly coming to Delaware.  Dr. Lamont Browne, the principal at Eastside Charter worked there.  KIPP, along with Uncommon Schools and Achievement First actually created Relay Graduate School.  Our very own Chris Coons had a college bill in 2012 that was endorsed by Richard Barth, the CEO of KIPP.

The application deadline for any new charter school applicants was December 31st, 2014.  So unless the Charter School Office at DOE didn’t put any new applications up by mistake, I don’t think KIPP will apply to have a charter school open up in Delaware.  But wait, KIPP is also considered to be a charter school management company.  And what were the three turnaround options for Christina and Red Clay with the priority schools: closure, conversion to charter, or MANAGEMENT COMPANY!!!!!

Let’s see if Penny Schwinn brings her buddy JJ over from Uncommon Schools to take over as “school leader” of one of these schools.  I don’t think it’s a coincidence Herdman specifically mentioned January 2015 if the deadline is December 31st.  And let’s not forget, that Relay Graduate School contract is going to start rolling out soon…

So if, and this is an if scenario, six schools were slated to become KIPP schools.  Where would they go?  The Community Education Building has a bunch of empty slots.  But that would require a whole new structure of management there, wouldn’t it?  Good thing I found this.  And would you look at that, they even mention human capital!

Click to access ceb_vp_of_operations_job_description.pdf

Click to access ceb_director_of_development_job_description.pdf

And look at this, straight from the CEB website:

Milestone Dates February 2012 – Bank of America announces donation of the building Summer 2012 – Selection process for first cohort of tenant schools February 2013 – Bank of America transfers title of the building to the CEB Spring 2013 – Facility build-out begins Spring 2013 – Selection process for second cohort of tenant schools Spring 2014 – Selection process for third cohort of tenant schools Summer 2014 – Kuumba Academy summer induction in CEB Fall 2014 – Kuumba Academy and Academia Antonia Alonso open in CEB

Enrollment We expect our facilities to be at capacity in 2017/2018 as tenant schools grow their enrollment.  The CEB tenant school selection process will be completed once four high performing charter schools have become CEB tenants.  The initial cohorts were chosen in the fall of 2012 and the spring of 2013. Thereafter, additional school selection processes will be conducted as needed.

But who would lead this KIPP chain?  You would need a big name. Someone who has shown massive success in the charter chain world.  Wait a minute, what about Penny’s mentor?

https://www.teachforamerica.org/corps-member-and-alumni-resources/alumni-awards/peter-jennings-award

But back to the CEB, you would need A LOT of community involvement and input.  You can’t just fill up a building with schools and think everyone is okay with that.  Oh, they already have that covered as well:

http://www.cebde.org/community-partners.html

But the oversight over a project of this magnitude would be enormous.  You would want to make sure you had all the key people lined up for your Vision.  People with a proven track record of rapidly increasing proficiency in children in a short amount of time.  Who could possibly do that?

http://dedoe.schoolwires.net/Page/1756

http://www.kcra.com/politics/Sac-County-Board-of-Education-Penny-Schwinn/14428420

http://dedoe.schoolwires.net/Page/1757

http://dedoe.schoolwires.net/Page/14

And what would these schools be like?  Did someone have the answer months ago and not even realize it?

https://kavips.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/a-portrait-of-the-evil-that-runs-inner-city-charter-schools/  with a link to http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/09/19/why-no-excuses-charter-schools-mold-very-submissive-students-starting-in-kindergarten

So who runs KIPP?  Lots of big names:

http://www.kipp.org/about-kipp/the-kipp-foundation/board-of-directors

The big part that is confusing me, and maybe someone can clue me in here, is why the Wilmingon Education Committee wrote a “slow your roll” letter to Governor Markell last week.  The Committee is run by Tony Allen, a Bank Of America executive.  Bank of America was the company that donated the Community Education Building to begin with.  Allen has wanted a Wilmington City School District for many years, so maybe there are plans afoot for that as well.

I’ve decided I’m going to just keep posting updates to this article, so you might want to save it in your favorites cause it will be a long one!

Sometimes you just have to come right out and ask!

• me
• Today at 10:39 AM

To: May Alison

CC: jack.markell@state.de.us, Paul Herdman, Murphy Mark, Johnson Donna R.

Hi Alison,

Information has come to light recently regarding the potential of KIPP Academy coming to Delaware.  Can you share with me if the Delaware DOE, State Board of Education or Governor Jack Markell has been in any negotiations with KIPP to come to Delaware?  Thank you,

Kevin Ohlandt

That was a quick response:

• May Alison
• Today at 10:49 AM

 

To: me

CC: Markell Jack, Paul Herdman, Murphy Mark, Johnson Donna R 

The state received two charter applications for this year, neither of which is from KIPP.  You can find the information about the two applicants here: https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/ViewMeetingOrder.aspx?S=190001&MID=360

Okay, she got me there.  So I responded:

• me
• Today at 10:53 AM

 

To: May Alison

CC: Markell Jack, Paul Herdman, Murphy Mark, Johnson Donna R 

Thank you Alison.  Maybe I should rephrase this.  Has there been any discussion with KIPP Academy about coming into Delaware as a Management Organization from the Delaware DOE, State Board of Education or Governor Markell’s office?

Kevin

 To which I received this response:

• May Alison
• Today at 11:02 AM

 

To: me

CC: Markell Jack, Paul Herdman, Murphy Mark, Johnson Donna R

Are you suggesting this in relationship to Priority Schools?  If so, I think you misunderstand the process.  If it comes to the point that a management organization is hired for a school, that decision will be made by the district not the state.

And then the executive director of the Delaware State Board of Education weighed in on this:

• Johnson Donna R
• Today at 11:12 AM

 

To: me, May Alison

CC: Murphy Mark

Mr. Ohlandt,

To follow up to Alison’s email where she has directed you to the SBE agenda for Thursday’s meeting where they will be a brief discussion of the new applications submitted by the 12/31 deadline as well as the modifications submitted.  Please understand that no action is being taken on them at that meeting and further that the initial review for completeness required by the DOE per §511(d) will not be completed prior to the SBE meeting this week.  The announcement of any applications moving forward for full review by the Charter School Accountability Committee, Secretary, and State Board of Education will be made by the Department in the following week.

I cannot speak for any of the other separate entities that you referenced in your email however, the State Board of Education has not had any role in negotiations with regard to recruiting charter operators or potential charter schools to come to Delaware and apply to operate a charter school.  Our Board members may individually be invited to tour schools or join a group organized to look at educational practices in various parts of the country in order to develop a greater awareness of successful practices elsewhere, but there are not any Board recruitment initiatives with regard assisting KIPP or any other charter school, operator, or management system with applying to operate in our state.  The Delaware Code clearly indicates that prospective applicants are able to engage in discussions with any potential approving authority before submitting an application and additionally the code requires that the Department of Education provide technical assistance to potential charter school applicants upon request. 

I am not aware of any SBE involvement in visits to or meetings with anyone from KIPP Charter schools regarding applying to open a school in Delaware and as Mrs. May explained previously the two applications received by the state at this year’s deadline are both locally developed charter schools, not affiliated with any larger national charter operator. 

Donna Johnson

Executive Director

State Board of Education

401 Federal Street, Suite 2

Dover, DE 19901-3639

302-735-4010

www.destateboarded.k12.de.us

Twitter: @destateboarded