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Feds probing CPS, COD

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Illinois

Federal authorities are investigating Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett and a $20.5 million contract the district awarded on a no-bid basis to a training academy that formerly employed her, sources said.

The CPS inspector general’s office began an investigation into the contract with north suburban-based SUPES Academy and Byrd-Bennett’s relationship to the company in 2013, a source said. The U.S. attorney’s office then started its own probe, and a grand jury has been reviewing evidence for at least a year, the source said.

CPS officials have discussed the possibility of appointing an interim CEO depending on the outcome of the investigation, a source said. Byrd-Bennett, who was appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in October 2012, attended a regularly scheduled meeting at CPS headquarters Wednesday and remains in her post.

* Catalyst Chicago…

The CPS inspector general has been investigating Byrd-Bennett and the controversial SUPES contract since 2013. Inspector General Nick Schuler declined to comment Wednesday on whether the investigation is ongoing or on the inquiries from the federal government. […]

When Mayor Rahm Emanuel was asked by reporters at City Hall about whether he had confidence in Byrd-Bennett, he said he “couldn’t answer that question,” according to the Chicago Tribune.

* Background from the Sun-Times…

In the district’s largest no-bid contract in recent memory, SUPES received the contract from CPS to provide ongoing training on Saturdays for principals and network chiefs through 2016 at a cost of $20.5 million. According to the contract, the company was supposed to use experts who’d specialize the training according to the type of school the principal led — including schools set to receive children affected by the massive 2013 school closings.

It didn’t take long for the no-bid deal — approved unanimously in June 2013 by the mayor’s school board — to ignite criticism, especially as the district stared down a $1 billion budget deficit that year.

By October, principals were complaining about the quality of professional development they were receiving from SUPES, according to a newsletter produced by the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association.

The Principals Association “is sorry to report our members, in large numbers, are expressing dissatisfaction with the caliber of the `SUPES’ Academy,” the Association’s October 2013 newsletter said.

* Meanwhile…

In a sign of intensifying scrutiny of the College of DuPage, federal prosecutors have opened a wide-ranging criminal investigation at the embattled community college, issuing two subpoenas this week that seek documents tied to spending and other matters, according to records obtained late Wednesday.

The subpoenas, which were served to college administrators Monday, cover three main areas: administrator expenses, contracts with the college’s fundraising foundation and credits awarded to police recruits at a law enforcement academy on the Glen Ellyn campus. […]

The federal subpoenas request many of the records sought by DuPage prosecutors. Federal investigators have asked for employment records, expense reports and conflict-of-interest statements for Breuder, all senior managers and trustees.

The federal investigation also seeks records relating to the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy. The Tribune recently reported that the college increased the number of credits given to recruits in the training program without increasing the amount of instruction — a change that boosted enrollment figures and led one top official at the police academy to question “the integrity of this process” before he resigned late last year. The revelation upset the school’s faculty union, which said the change should not have been made without consulting the campus’s curriculum committee.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 8:41 am

Comments

20 million is a staggering figure for a no-bid contract. No bid agreements are appropriate in some cases but the Board and Ms. Byrd-Bennett are going to have some explaining to do.

Comment by Stones Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 8:53 am
How long before we hear the Governor say that CPS is corrupt and can’t be trusted?

Comment by A Jack Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:02 am
20,000,000 is a serious number. When it represents money, it becomes even more serious. Organizations routinely handling these figures must ensure that they continually recognize the importance of their work.

You do not allow no-bid contracts valued at this figure. If your organization wins a no-bid contract valued at this figure, you also have a serious problem. You don’t take millions from someone suffering from dementia. You don’t take millions from an organization that doesn’t seem to value millions by how poorly they handle it.

Because eventually reality sets in. Someone is going to recognize the value and tell someone else. Eventually society is going to demand that the parties involved in the million dollar transaction justify their poor handling of it.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:12 am
So, this training is only offered by a private organization? The City Colleges or Illinois Universities do not offer such a thing? Or are the programs offered by them not good enough? It’s kind of like Obama and Emanuel sending their kids to private schools rather than CPS. They keep telling people that CPS is great, City Colleges are great, but they themselves do not utilize them. Ridiculous. Meanwhile, the taxes keep going up to support this greatness for people who have no need for them. The waste and egregiousness of this is astounding.

Comment by Gone, but not forgotten Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:19 am
Corruption in Chicago??!!! I am shocked.

Comment by Apocalypse Now Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:19 am
Rahm is hanging BBB out to dry on this even thought his hand-picked board voted to okay this purchase?
And we wonder why so many citizens are concerned about the board that is chosen by the Mayor (and not elected)?

Comment by Belle Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:20 am
20 million dollar no bid contract to former employer. But the State’s fiscal mess is all because of Unions. Yeah.

Comment by Nicholas Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:28 am
Let us hope that this federal investigation lets the new COD board scuttle Breuder’s obscene golden parachute.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:34 am
Terrible optics for CPS … especially since they need a tax increase for the pensions. Really, really hard ask when you’re under investigation for wasting money.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:46 am
Gone but not forgotten: oddly most of this training is run by private orgs throughout the state - not much by the universities.

The legislature and SBOE have themselves to blame for too many professional training allowances and mandates. Not only are these organizations leeches on the school systems - the teachers unions use these training days as days off while working parents have kids out of school for dozens of school days per year.

If the GA wants to fix this mess they should require that all teacher development and professional training can only occur in the summer months - I am fed up with the days off of school for training - apparently there is more than one thing wrong with this training issue

Comment by siriusly Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:51 am
The Byrd-Bennett investigation will be all to the good if, among other things, it forces a look at the motives behind some controversial recent decisions, such as closing multiple public schools and then expanding charters. It’s past time for public scrutiny of who stands to profit by privatizing education, and if kids even remotely benefit from this push. Educational outcomes and students’ well-being should have been the No. 1 priority all along.

Same with COD. It’s been a great option for thousands of people in the western suburbs over the years, and it has fielded some excellent faculty, but the administration has long needed to shift its priorities. Too bad it’s been allowed to come to this, but a house-cleaning can only help at this point.

Comment by Crispy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:53 am
Not very good optics for Chicago voters to have a federal investigation of CPS on a no-bid deal when the Governor is suggesting that CPS is insolvent and should consider bankruptcy.

Comment by Nebraska Bill Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:58 am
Siriusly — “the teachers unions use these training days as days off” — really? On what do you base this statement?

Some of my nearest and dearest are teachers (excellent ones, I might add). These training days are mandated by the state and local districts, and all the teachers I know regard them as a nuisance that cuts into classroom time with students. They’re not “days off,” either–they’re required work days for teachers (although they are days off for the kids).

Admittedly, I’m basing all this on anecdotal evidence–but I suspect you are as well.

Comment by Crispy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 9:59 am
apocnow: equally “shocked!” about corruption in DuPage County?

I’m not.

Comment by walker Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:09 am
How in the world is a $20 million no-bid contract even allowable under CPS rules or state law?

I believe any state contract over $20,000 requires an RFP process.

Can someone enlighten us?

Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:12 am
Crispy - yes what you said is closer to what I meant. Thanks for clarifying for me.

Comment by siriusly Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:23 am
This was for principal training, not teacher training and the principal association blasted the training as ineffective, not suited to the issues that CPS principals face and mostly just a waste of their time. Board President Vitale signed the contract before it even was passed at the following Board meeting. This whole debacle just shows how ineffective the rubber stamp school board is, and that it needs a house cleaning. BBB hands her former employer a cherry and another Board member gets millions in CPS contracts for her company.

Comment by truthteller Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:31 am
Siriusly–Glad to know we’re on the same page! No worries. Yes, those training day requirements have some issues.

Comment by Crispy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 10:39 am
Gone, but not forgotten

Would you want to be the CPS teacher with an Emanuel child in your classroom?

That’s what I thought.

As far as the Obama kids go, they got a discount on tuition at the Lab Schools because Mrs Obama worked for U of C. Are you turning down your work benefits?

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:02 am
Seriously, the teachers do use these training days for days off. That’s because these training a are held on Saturdays. They are a tremendous waste of time and they come from the mind of Eli Broad who brought us many of the worst ideas in education reform over the last 10 years.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:05 am
By the way, Siriusly CPS has had two of these training days this year. The last one was November 7th. In other countries, teachers get considerably more time to plan and work with colleagues. It’s necessary to teach in the individualized way that is insisted upon today. I think it’s great that despite this $20,000,000 no bid contract you have identified the teachers as the drain on the system.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:09 am
It stinks that the Obama administration withheld the news of this investigation until after the re-election of Obama’said old pal Emanuel.

Comment by Joe Biden Was Here Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:28 am
the Obama administration withheld the news of this investigation until after the re-election of Obama’said old pal Emanuel

Reminder: The tin-foil hat will only work if you’ve had all of your filings removed.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:31 am
Did anybody else see this? Look at who’s handling crisis comms for COD —

“The College of DuPage and the College of DuPage Foundation are confident in the proper conduct of their affairs and will fully cooperate with any government investigation,” said Randall Samborn, who has been hired to handle crisis communications for the school.

Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 11:51 am
=It stinks that the Obama administration withheld the news of this investigation until after the re-election of Obama’said old pal Emanuel.=

This was well-known. I even posted about it when talking about waste in CPS during a Rahm vs. Chuy thread. This really wasn’t a surprise to anybody.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 12:02 pm
S-Mom, yep.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 12:13 pm
walker

Notice that COD is located on Fawell Blvd.?

Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 12:54 pm
Maybe some of these top administrators who can’t keep their hands out of the pot need babysitters or hidden cameras to monitor their every move. Too bad the whole educational realm is looked at as corrupt when really only the top so called entrusted officials are the skunks that make it all stink. When they talk about cheating the students, please be sure who it is that’s doing the cheating.

Comment by AnonymousOne Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 2:07 pm
AnonymousOne, this is true–teachers have often been blamed for the actions of admins, sadly.

Comment by Crispy Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 2:25 pm
Soccermon - They’ve hired Res Publica Group to handle damage control. People see community college and think small potatoes, but they’re right there with UIUC for the largest student body in the state.

Comment by HappyToaster Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 2:32 pm
“Notice that COD is located on Fawell Blvd.?”

Named after Scott Fawell’s mother, former Illinois state Sen. Beverly Fawell.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 2:45 pm
Byrd-Bennett’s contract expires in June. Bye-bye Birdie.

Comment by Buzzie Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 3:07 pm
I remember when COD was the little community college that could. Scrappy, unconventional and progressive. Now it’s all grown up. sigh

Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 4:55 pm
They had hired Res Publica, but I saw in the Trib earlier this month they dumped them for Levick.

Comment by MyTwoCents Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 4:59 pm
Thanks, MrJM — I had wondered. (Specifically, I wondered a few weeks ago when we went to Waterleaf, figuring it won’t be around much longer…)

Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 5:22 pm
I am surprised that this investigation came to light AFTER the Mayoral election

Comment by ejhickey Thursday, Apr 16, 15 @ 6:36 pm