What is Joel Klein up to After his Chancellorship?


   

    According to Celeste Katz of the Daily news Former New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has been named as the chair of Education Reform Now.  

    The interesting thing however is that Klein now joins those listed below, who are heavy advocates of charter schools. In the Daily news story Joel Klein now advocates for changing teacher tenure rules as Mayor Bloomberg and new Chancellor Cathie Black are trying to do. 

You may also want to check this link to a story titled "The Billionaires Boys Club" posted on June 10, 2010.

As you read further into this story you will be able to connect the dots to see the future of public education.

    

     Here is the website to Education Reform Now , with the board of directors and staff as of Monday January 24, 2011. Note there are only bio's of the staff and not the Board of Directors. For more information on the Board of Directors go to The Billionaires Boys Club link.
 

Board of Directors

Sidney Hawkins Gargiulo - Hawkshaw Capital
John Petry (chair) - Gotham Capital
John Sabat - SAC Capital
Brian Zied - Maverick Capital

Staff

Executive Director - Van Schoales

Van Schoales is the Executive Director of Education Reform Now, a national education policy and advocacy non-profit organization fighting to dramatically improve the quality of public education for America's most disadvantaged children.  He was most recently a program officer at the Piton Foundation where he oversaw a portfolio of investments on state policy, district reform and new school development. He has previously been a high school science teacher, principal and school non-profit leader working as an education reform advocate. Van has launched or help start a number of non-profits including the Odyssey Charter School, Bay Area Coalition of Equitable (formerly Essential) Schools, Denver School of Science and Technology, A + Denver, EdNewsColorado and Get Smart Schools.

National Strategy Director - Myles Mendoza

In Myles's position as the National Strategy Director of Education Reform Now he is strengthening ERN's existing capacities and strategically developing new outposts throughout the country. He was most recently the Development Director at the Denver Scholarship Foundation and was instrumental in the foundation's transformation from a start-up non-profit to one of national fundraising prominence and visibility. Myles conceived and implemented an ambitious five-year fundraising strategy in which $62 million dollars was raised and helped to make it the sustainable organization it is today. Myles originally came to his non-profit executive career after years of front-line work in difficult inner-city school environments including East St. Louis and disadvantaged Chicago neighborhoods. "Working in these communities allowed me to become an expert in understanding the complex factors that relate to youth and their ability to achieve academic success. I was able to get to know many families and their home environments first hand. I learned that even in the most abusive home situations, children can succeed if their schools provide them with quality teaching and high expectations. These experiences gave me both the passion and the knowledge to fight for what is needed to ensure every child in America is given the opportunity to succeed." Myles received his MSW from Washington University in St. Louis. Myles has three boys, all of whom attend high performing charter schools. He sits on the Board of Directors at West Denver Prep and the American Academy Foundation.

Chief of Staff - Brienne Bellavita
Brienne Bellavita joined Education Reform Now (ERN) in the fall of 2007.  Prior to her role as the Chief of Staff, Brienne served as the Program Director of ERN, working to build up the organization's programs promoting proven education reform policies.
Previous to her work at ERN, Brienne worked for the City of New York as an Investigator at the Civilian Complaint Review Board, where she investigated allegations of police misconduct.  As a civil servant, she developed the applied skills necessary to deliver on public sector challenges and gained invaluable experience working with many segments of the population.
Previously, Brienne lived in London, England, where she served an internship in the British Parliament working for Kevin McNamara MP, a member of the Labour Party in the House of Commons.  

Office Manager - Beverly Francis
Beverly is a New Yorker by zip code, but a true Floridian at heart. Beverly joined the staff of Education Reform Now (ERN) in the Fall of 2008. Her passion for advancement in public education derive both from being a product of the public education system, and being surrounded by a family of educators.

Prior to her work at ERN, Beverly worked in the news and entertainment industry. She credits her experience as a TV journalist for her growing involvement and awareness of domestic issues.

 

Beverly graduated from Florida International University in Miami, FL with a Bachelor of Science in Jo