Money alone can't buy a good education. Greenwich's school district is ranked 46th in the state last year, according to an analysis of test scores by education website Schooldigger.
The fourth superintendent in 11 years resigned in May. Including interim superintendents, Greenwich has seen eight administrators go through the Board of Education's revolving doors in 12 years. The last superintendent’s resignation came after months of political in-fighting and bickering among town administrators and board members, harassing emails, and an inability to move ahead on decisions. "I was starting to feel handcuffed by the board's inability to work as a board. I found myself getting my job done in spite of the board rather than with the board." Said dissident board member Marianna Ponns Cohen,"The superintendent's cover-up is like Watergate. There's no transparency or accountability and some of the things he did were illegal."
Of the state's 167 districts, Greenwich is the highest spender on education, shelling out nearly $18,000 per student to keep class sizes small and be able to offer classes in Mandarin Chinese and Shakespeare competitions. Windham Schools spend $4,000 less per student, but still more then the average Connecticut school district.
In 2009, the district launched a three-year improvement plan to boost test scores but failed to meet 44 of 53 achievement targets in its first year of the implementation. Greenwich Schools ranks among the worst districts in the state when it comes to the average gap between the performance of low-income and minority students and their affluent, white peers. “In fact, we're seeing districts with less local resources producing better results," said Jenn Alexander,Director of Research and Policy with education advocacy group ConnCan. Windham's achievement gap is ranked last in Connecticut and is one of the worst in nation.
"Greenwich schools are facing a crisis," said Sue Rogers, a mother of two and president of the Parent Teacher Association Council for Greenwich Public Schools. "We have no leadership from the board and no stability." Steve Anderson, the board of education's chairman and a supporter of former superintendent, Dr. Freund, blames the board of education for his departure. "I view this as a board failure absolutely, and that weighs heavily on me," Mr. Anderson said.
Mr. Anderson proposed a formal code of conduct for the town's other board members. "We have to start at the basics again, re-establish board expectations," Mr. Anderson said. "We as a board and a community need to spell out what the goals are for superintendents and then give him the right amount of space within certain guardrails to let him strive for the goals." A search committee has been formed and it's expected that a new top administrator will be in place within a year with a substantial pay increase from the $230,000 Dr Freund was paid.
What comes first, dollars or sense, Part 1
Greenwich: So much so little, Part 2
Windham's school board, Part 3
Windham's board of finance, Part 4
Windham's town council, Part 5
Windham's students, Part 6
Windham Education: What Went Wrong, Part 7
Conclusion, Part 8
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