Mayor's Commission On Public Education

What Was the Mayor's Commission on Public Education?
By the summer of 2002, it had become painfully clear that the Pittsburgh Public Schools -- once among the finest school districts in America -- were struggling terribly. Most troubling were the undeniable signs that a majority of its students were underachieving in the classroom, casting dark clouds over their futures. Community concern ran so deep that the Pittsburgh philanthropic community, long-time supporters of public education, took the extraordinary step of withholding funding from the district until an agenda for reform could be developed.

In response to mounting concerns, Mayor Tom Murphy established a Commission on Public Education to open a community dialogue around the conditions of the city's public schools and what is necessary to improve them. The 38 citizens recruited to serve on the Commission brought the diversity, skills, and expertise that an in-depth examination of a large urban public school system demanded. They represented a cross-section of the city: major employers and small business people, educators, legal experts, clergy, and parents from more than a dozen neighborhoods.

Their work began in September 2002. Each Commission member was assigned to one of three committees that examined specific areas of concern with the schools: student performance, finance and governance. They were assisted by an administrative staff, the RAND Corporation, and the Pennsylvania Economy League. For nearly nine months, the Commission, its staff, and consultants reviewed research and best practices related to schools and learning; studied the experiences of other urban districts that have embarked on reform; and interviewed Pittsburgh Board of Education members, administrators, and teachers. To take the pulse of the community, the Commission held a series of meetings throughout the city and listened to the ideas and concerns of parents, senior citizens, neighborhood advocates, business owners, religious organizations, and others.

The Commission's findings and recommendations are summarized in this report. Their recommendations, unanimously approved, are offered as a blueprint for reform in the hope that the city, its citizens and government, will rally to the cause of achieving excellence, equity, and efficiency in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Who Participated on the Commission?
David M. Matter, President of Oxford Development and William E. Trueheart, President of the Pittsburgh Foundation were named as co-chairs. Committee assignments were as follows

School Funding and Financial Management Committee
Louis L. Testoni, Chair

Donald Burrell, Esther Bush, David L. Donahue, Carey Harris, John Henne, Maxwell King, Richard G. King, Stephen A. Schillo, Gregory R. Spencer, Richard Stanizzo, Garth J. Taylor

Leadership and Governance Committee
Mark A. Nordenberg, Chair

Bonita Allen, Raymond N. Baum, Mary K. Conturo, The Rev. Dr. William Curtis, Rosalyn Guy-McCorkle, Frances A. Hanlon, Harry Litman, Sean McDonald, W. Thomas McGough, Jr., Sherry Niepp, Estella Smith

Student Performance, Accountability, and Standards Committee
The Rev. Dr. Harold Lewis, Chair

Esther L. Barazzone, John Bellisario, Roberta Bowra, Susan H. Brownlee, John Chalovich, Nikki Durnil, Raymond E. Meyer, Ronald E. Peters, Lauren Resnick, D. Lansing Taylor, Jerome Taylor

In the News

November 20, 2003 - Mayor's Commission on Public Education wraps up, but members seek to continue mission, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

October 23, 2003 - Thompson responds to mayor's panel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 29, 2003 - Education commission members relied on benchmarking in report, Pittsburgh Business Times

September 28, 2003 - Editorial: Broken promise / The mayor's commission shows how to fix the schools, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 28, 2003 - To the Point: Schoolyard brawl, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 28, 2003 - The Mayor's Commission on Public Education: Three perspectives (The Parents' View), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 28, 2003 - The Mayor's Commission on Public Education: Albert Fondy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 28, 2003 - The Mayor's Commission on Public Education: Patrick Dowd, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 28, 2003 - Ripples from city schools report spread far, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 26, 2003 - City schools summary focused on negatives, Tribune Review

September 25, 2003 - Report: Sweeping Changes Needed, New Pittsburgh Courier

September 24, 2003 - Report on city schools is on target, despite timing, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 23, 2003 - Committee blisters schools, Tribune Review

September 23, 2003 - Task force report rips Pittsburgh schools, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

January 17, 2003 - Pittsburgh School Task Force report due in April, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

November 18, 2002 - Mayor's school panel preparing suggestions, Tribune Review

September 23, 2002 - Panel on city schools gathers steam, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

August 17, 2002 - Mayor's task force on schools ready, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

August 14, 2002 - Mayor delays selecting city schools panel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

August 7, 2002 - Freeze on Grants Roils Pittsburgh District, Education Week