Group calls for transparency in new Philadelphia school superintendent contract

A government watchdog group is calling for some transparency when it comes to the hiring Philadelphia’s next schools superintendent.  

The Committee of Seventy is calling on the Philadelphia School Reform Commission to release the details of the new school superintendent’s contract offer before it becomes final.  Seventy’s president Zack Stalberg says the entire contract should be available once a deal is done

“They’ve seen the two candidates, they are talking about making a choice relatively soon so they should tell us what they are thinking about giving this individual at least in rough terms,” said Stalberg.

Stalberg says former Superintendent Arlene Ackerman’s contract had perks that only came to light when she was leaving.

“She got use of a car for personal reasons, for city reasons she had a lot of other things in her contract that not were, not just disclosed in advance, but were never disclosed until it was time for her payday,” he said.

School Reform Commission member Wendell Pritchett released a statement saying the SRC plans to make the process as transparent as possible and is working to make the contract fair to all involved.