The Vallas Effect.

Maranto, Robert

I salute Dale Mezzacappa for her astute portrait of the frenetic Paul Vallas ("The Vallas Effect," features, Spring 2008). In Philadelphia, Vallas had some key successes improving learning. He standardized the curriculum, helping the large numbers of students transferring during the school year; this alone might account for the recent gains in test scores. Other initiatives will have long-term payoffs. Vallas increased the numbers of schools, decreased their size, and moved to a K-8 and 9-12 grade configuration. He also improved teacher recruitment.

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Yet Vallas could not keep good relations with a seemingly reasonable governing board. Despite his reputation as a numbers guy, Vallas underestimated the operating deficit until after his contract renewal. This enraged the School Reform Commission, making him a dead man walking through his last year.

And while he publicly promoted certain pet charter schools, Vallas is no friend of school choice, viewing it mainly as an enrollment management tool. Locals believe that behind the scenes he stymied new charters. The burgeoning New Orleans charter sector might have to hunker down so long as Vallas is in town. That's too bad, because while capable superintendents like Vallas have had some success on the elementary school level, only the better schools of choice have done well with urban middle and high school kids.

In short, Paul Vallas is the right leader to start a turnaround, but might not have the staying power to see reforms through. In my book he rates a B+, but not quite an A.

ROBERT MARANTO

Associate Professor of Political Science

Villanova University