More money for NYC education contractors -- despite city deficit hype

This month's slate of contracts included one of the most egregiously wasteful of those ever presented for approval. Consultants from the Parthenon Group will receive $352,000 for two months of work.

According the the contract description, the consultants will support the development of a new talent management system: "the goal of this engagement effort is to ensure a level of understanding and buy-in across key groups -- at the central, network and school levels -- that will be responsible for implementing and using the system".

So despite all the corporate management skills inserted into DOE, we have to pay consultants to get our own people to work together.

Deputy Chancellor John White tried to defend the contract by saying it was the first step in developing a system to decide how to evaluate teachers. But if the mayor and chancellor have already said they're prepared to layoff teachers based on effectiveness, then why are we paying consultants to start to think about how to do that?

http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/2011/01/more-consultant-spending-approved-at.html


Clearly, no one is *really* worried about deficits unless it helps them fire union labor.

and happens in large and small districts, mine finally asked recently, "do we need to pay a consultant?"...K&R