Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Polarized forces

Clark County School Board members will have some uninvited company in New York this week.

In a step underscoring the fierce lobbying over the choice of a new county schools superintendent, an organization of Nevada business leaders who recruited New York educator Eric Nadelstern for the post has arranged for Las Vegas community and political leaders to shadow School Board members on their fact-finding trip to his district.

Maureen Peckman, director of the Council for a Better Nevada, said the group of 11 plans to follow along as School Board members Larry Mason, Mary Beth Scow and Terri Janison tour campuses and meet with New York school officials on Monday and Tuesday.

Peckman said that the purpose was to gather more information about Nadelstern. "This is a community decision and we would like to hear what other members of the community, including the leaders of minority organizations and a PTA mom, think about Mr. Nadelstern," she said.

But the nature of the trip, arranged without the School Board's invitation, is raising suspicions among others with a stake in the choice of superintendent.

Mary Ella Holloway, president of the Clark County Education Association, said the council is making a "full court press" on the School Board.

"I thought we had elected the School Board members to make this decision," said Holloway, who also visited New York last week.

"It seems like there is tremendous pressure being put on them to choose Mr. Nadelstern.

"The teachers union supports the other finalist for the post, interim superintendent Walt Rulffes.School Board President Ruth Johnson, who joined Vice President Sheila Moulton on a similar fact-finding trip to New York late last week, said she didn't understand the motive of the Council for a Better Nevada.

"I came here because I haven't made up my mind yet," Johnson said.

"As far as I was aware, the council had already decided they wanted Mr. Nadelstern. So I'm not clear on what they hope to accomplish here."

Nadelstern, 55, is chief academic officer for new schools in the New York City Department of Education, the nation's largest school district, with 1.2 million students. He is also superintendent of the "Autonomy Zone," an 18-month-old pilot program allowing about 30 public schools more authority over daily operations in exchange for being held to strict standards of accountability. The program has shown some early successes and on Thursday New York City's education chancellor announced plans for an expansion in the upcoming academic year.

Rulffes, 65, served seven years as chief financial officer for the Clark County School District before taking over as interim superintendent in July. He has been credited with stabilizing the district's bottom line and is seen as an effective manager.

Rulffes has pledged to continue district-wide initiatives, including expanded career and technical education offerings, full-day kindergarten, and magnet programs. He has also cited reducing the district's dropout rate andraising the passing rate on the statewide proficiency exam as his priorities.The School Board appeared divided over the two finalists at its most recent meeting.

Janison and Brager-Wellman seemed firmly in favor of Nadelstern. Moulton and Johnson appeared strongly opposed.Mason, Scow and Barber made comments suggesting they were somewhere in the middle.

School District officials said Peckman did not ask if them if the council's representatives could join in the tour and discussions.

"I didn't ask their permission but I said if they had any concerns to let us know. We want to be respectful of the process."

Moulton said she had heard rumors that the council was planning its own trip. It could become disruptive if the board member's three-person tour is expanded to 14, she said.

"What we have arranged is per the School Board's agenda," Moulton said.

"I would hope they would respect that and make separate arrangements."

Peckman's group made at least some of its arrangements through Nadelstern. The candidate said he invited the group to sit in on all meetings that were scheduled for School Board members, including with New York school union representatives, schools Chancellor Joel Klein and community leaders.

Holloway and a reporter for the Las Vegas Sun were barred from a meeting Johnson and Moulton had with Klein on Thursday.

Nadelstern said the media also will not be allowed in this week when Klein meets with board members and the group of 11.

"With the media it becomes more intrusive, more of a press event, than an opportunity to openly talk about my job performance, said Nadelstern, who will not attend the session.

Asked why he was allowing the council's group to join in all meetings and site visits, Nadelstern explained that the council's urging had played a large role in his decision to apply.

"It was the strong level of involvement by the community and the sincere interest in improving schools demonstrated (by the council) that first attracted me," he said.In addition to Peckman, the council's group consists of: Francisco Aguilar, personal attorney for Nevada's University Chancellor Jim Rogers -- a founding member of the council; state Sen. Steven Horsford, D-North Las Vegas, and his wife Sondra; John Mendoza of the Latin Chamber of Commerce; Louis Overstreet of the Urban Chamber of Commerce.

The others are: former Clark County School Board president Jeff Burr and current Cox Elementary School PTA President Melodee Wilcox; Judi Steele, executive director of the Clark County Public Education Foundation; Punam Mathur of MGM Mirage; and Ann Lynch, past chairman of the National PTA and currently vice president of government affairs and community affairs at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Aguilar said he would be the first to leave the room if it becomes too crowded for comfort.

"I already know Eric and I know what he can do," Aguilar said.

"This trip is an opportunity for the School Board and other community leaders to see the Autonomy Zone and realize that it could work in Clark County."In an interview with the Sun on Saturday, Lynch said she wanted to meet Nadelstern to form her own opinion."All I know is what I've seen on TV and read in the papers," Lynch said.

"I'd like to talk to the parents, teachers and students (in New York) and see what they think."

Lynch said she had no plans to share her opinion publicly but would be happy to do so privately with any School Board member who made a request.

"I would hope they would want to hear from me," I've been invested in education for several decades and I bring a different perspective to it. I don't have an axe to grind with anybody."Overstreet said Saturday that observing Nadelstern "on his own territory will give a fuller picture. I know Walt personally and he's a good person. But I'm not sure he would have the stomach for the changes that need to happen in Clark County."

Overstreet said concerns that Nadelstern lacks experience in fiscal matters and that he has never served as a superintendent of an entire district might be irrelevant.

"Given that most of the problems in Clark County are in the academic area and not the financial area, Eric seems like a real strong candidate," Overstreet said.

Horsford spoke in support of Nadelstern at Tuesday's School Board meeting, shortly before the board voted to extend the selection process by making trips to New York.

Horsford suggested that choosing Nadelstern would demonstrate that the School Board is willing to make significant reforms, a step that he indicated would go a long way with the 2007 Legislature, which controls the district's budget.

School Board member Mason appeared put off by that remark. The next superintendent will need the ability to "stand up to the Senator Horsfords," not just win them over, Mason said.

Emily Richmond can be reached at 259-8829 or at [email protected].

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy