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Tuesday, February 19, 2008 @ 3:49 PM brought to you by Edigest

The Philadelphia School Reform Commission (SRC) today announced its selection of Dr. Arlene Ackerman as the next CEO of the School District of Philadelphia. Dr. Ackerman comes to Philadelphia with more than 30 years of experience in urban education. In announcing its selection, SRC Chairwoman Sandra Dungee Glenn said, "The Commission is pleased to welcome Dr. Arlene Ackerman to lead the School District of Philadelphia. Her passion for children in urban schools, as well as her track record and priorities of putting resources back into the classrooms fits with the goals the Commission has established for our students. Dr. Ackerman's proven record of raising student achievement and building effective partnerships with diverse communities makes her an excellent fit for Philadelphia. We are confident she will continue her academic accomplishments with Philadelphia's students."

Dr. Ackerman said, "I am honored and humbled that the SRC, the Governor and the Mayor believe I can make a contribution to students in Philadelphia. I am coming back to active leadership because I have missed my passion - the on the ground battle for our children who attend urban public schools. I believe I still have more to give in this important fight for social justice."

Dr. Ackerman currently serves as director of the Urban Education Leaders Program at Teachers College of Columbia University where she also sits as the Chairperson of the Superintendents and Scholars Symposium. The Urban Leaders Education Program is the College's largest doctoral program for public-school leaders. She joined Teachers College's Education Leadership faculty as the Christian A. Johnson Professor of Outstanding Educational Practice in 2006. She also serves as Superintendent in Residence of The Broad Center based in Los Angeles, California where she facilitates and directs the Broad Superintendents Academy, a ten month executive management program designed to prepare CEOs and senior executives from business, government and education backgrounds to lead urban public school systems.

Prior to 2006, Dr. Ackerman served as Superintendent of both the San Francisco Unified School District and the District of Columbia Public Schools. During her tenure in San Francisco, the city's public schools with, 62,000 students and 117 schools, attained five consecutive years of improved achievement for all groups of students while also holding the distinction as the highest performing large urban school district in the state of California during the last two years of her superintendency.

Jill Wynn, Board member, San Francisco Unified School District and School Board President from 2001 - 2002, said, "Your choice of Dr. Ackerman as CEO is great for Philadelphia and great for public education. She is an outstanding superintendent. Any initiative that was started in San Francisco under Arlene's tenure is still in place today. With Arlene back in public education, the children of America are the winners."

Hydra Mendoza, Educational Liaison to Mayor Gavin Newsom and the mother of two children in the San Francisco Unified Public Schools, said, "More than anything else, Arlene Ackerman is committed to children. As a mother, in addition to my professional capacity with Mayor Newsome, I know Arlene is committed to children. She is a top-notch experienced superintendent. With her experience she knows how to educate a child and educating children is where her heart is."

Governor Edward G. Rendell said, "Dr. Ackerman is nationally recognized for her successes in the school districts she has led, including positioning San Francisco as a finalist for the 2005 Broad Prize for Urban Education presented annually to the best urban school district in the country. I look forward to working with her to ensure