Fritz Edelstein
The United States Conference of Mayors
2006
This slick but welcome 35-page booklet seeks to "assist mayors in making choices in how they may get involved in the school systems of their cities." But it broadly construes "school systems" and "getting involved": the former includes such alternatives as charter schools, and the latter such bold strategies as mayors assuming "total control" of school systems. It does not, however, push mayors to take any particular approach to K-12 education. Instead, this primer spells out reform options and considerations. It offers a four-course menu of strategies-including vanilla versions, too, such as "partnership" and "medium involvement"-and supplies information about cities where each strategy is currently in practice. Three issues singled out for special attention are the relationship between the mayor's office and the school system "central office"; the urgency of understanding school budgets; and the concept of creating a "portfolio" of schools. If the last of these sounds familiar (as well as worthy), it may be because the Gates Foundation underwrote the project. You can find it here.
