Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006 | 9:51 a.m.
For the unions representing Clark County School District teachers and support staff, the known home-grown commodity of Walt Rulffes beats the unknown out-of-town product of Eric Nadelstern.
"Change doesn't always mean for the good," said Doug McCain, president of the Education Support Employees Association, who last year squared off with Rulffes at the bargaining table over a four-year contract, signed in June, for the district's nonteaching support staff.
"I would lean toward the local person for the simple fact that I know that person -- I know what we already have," McCain said.
McCain said that in his dealings with Rulffes he found him to be "very thorough, honest and fair."
"When we were bargaining for the new contract, he was always listening," he said. "We did not agree on everything, but he was straight up with us."
John Jasonek, executive director of the Clark County Education Association, which represents the district's more than 16,000 teachers, says he, too, knows where Rulffes stands and believes labor would benefit from him being in charge.
"To be an effective superintendent, you have to build up trust with the labor groups," Jasonek said. "Nobody new can come to town and change things if they don't go through us (the teachers union).
"We ... have had our share of battles with Mr. Rulffes. But we also have found that he is committed to try to pay teachers more. He has been instrumental to make sure the health insurance has remained solvent. He wants progressive classroom reforms."
Union leaders and others also say that interim co-superintendent Rulffes' age -- 65 -- should not be a deterrent in his candidacy to become the permanent superintendent of schools. Nadelstern is 55.
"(Penn State football coach) Joe Paterno won the Orange Bowl this year at age 80," Jasonek said.
McCain added: "I have no clue what the School Board wants, but age is not an issue with me. It's the makeup of the individual that should be considered."
Following a nationwide search, School Board members are left with a final choice between Rulffes, who has been with the district as a deputy superintendent since 1998, and Nadelstern, chief academic officer for the New York City Department of Education.
Rulffes took over in April as the co-interim superintendent of the district, which has more than 291,000 students. He shares the post with fellow Deputy Superintendent Augustine Orci.
They replaced former Superintendent Carlos Garcia, who left July 14 to work for publishing giant McGraw-Hill Cos. Garcia had been at the helm for five years.
Rulffes has more than 30 years' experience in educational administration, having previously served as superintendent of the Cheney School District in Washington state.
Rulffes graduated in 1965 from Washington State University, where he studied accounting and business administration. Rulffes earned his master's of business administration in 1979 from Gonzaga University, and in 1994 received his doctorate in educational leadership, also from Gonzaga.
At the Clark County School District, Rulffes has contributed to implementing the 1998 capital improvement program, managing a multibillion-dollar budget, championing accountability measures and emphasizing math and science programs to encourage students to consider careers in engineering and science.
"I have been though many cycles, and I know the traditions in Las Vegas," Rulffes said. "I have labor harmony, and I bring to the job good business principles and practices.
"Any superintendent needs broad-based support -- business community, school board, employee labor groups, the parents and the community at large."
While five School Board members went to New York to learn more about Nadelstern, two -- Susan Brager-Wellman and Shirley Barber -- remained in Las Vegas to study Rulffes' background both here and in Washington.
Brager-Wellman said that while nothing earth-shattering has been learned about Rulffes during this past week, it is imperative to scrutinize his background as well as Nadelstern's to make a choice in a "fair and equitable manner."
But she, too, says the age issue has been a non-issue in the board's considerations for a new superintendent.
"My father is 86 and he plays cards, helps with the kids, drives to California and back -- he's extremely active," Brager-Wellman said. "No, age is not in the equation."
She also said that the issue of stability versus change -- the question of whether the district would be better served by someone from within or outside the system -- is unlikely to be determinative.
"It is a matter of who will fit the needs of children, whether the person is from here or somewhere else," Brager-Wellman said. "We know Mr. Rulffes as a superintendent in the interim basis only. And we are not in the dark with Mr. Nadelstern. We need to stay open to both candidates."
Assemblyman Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, a member of the Assembly Education Committee, also does not see age as an issue.
"Walt looks to be in good health, his mind is extremely sharp, he is well educated and has been around awhile," Manendo said. "If I were in the position of choosing a candidate, age would not be that big of a factor.
"But I am concerned that the person who is chosen would take the job for one year, then retire."
Manendo, though, said he is partial to home-grown individuals.
"We have someone who knows the course but has his own ideas on leadership and might not necessarily keep the same course," Manendo said.
"When we have someone within our state who is qualified, whether it is building new roads or new buildings or running a school system, I'd rather hire from within."
Manendo said Rulffes has appeared before the Legislature on a number of issues.
"We had our disagreements and sometimes I didn't like the answers, but he was straightforward, and for the sake of my constituents, I appreciate that," he said.
Cara Roberts, spokeswoman for the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, said the age issue and the local-outsider question are "both irrelevant" in choosing between candidates capable of getting the job done.
"What we are looking for is the candidate's plan to bring a vision to head up our local school system and serve the needs of a very diverse student population," she said.
"It is important that the person who is eventually selected have outreach to the business community, which is an important stakeholder in the education of our children, who in the broader scheme are our future workforce."
Rulffes emphasizes that age brings with it some good things.
"I think it is an obvious advantage since I am in good health and full of vitality, passion and enthusiasm -- I look forward to getting up and going to work every day," said Rulffes, the 2002 Nevada Association of School Boards' Administrator of the Year.
"I also can make innovative changes without fear they will follow me down a long career path. Some younger superintendents may tend to go with the flow because of the concern their futures will be affected by the backlash from trying something different. I don't have concerns of such consequences."
Ed Koch can be reached at 259-4090 or at [email protected].
archive
