Mayor Nutter helped raise Ackerman’s buyout money

    Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter says he helped raise money to buy out the contract of school superintendent Arlene Ackerman. 

    Mayor Nutter says he’s known for months about the talks to buy out Arlene Ackerman’s contract and worked with the district and the School Reform Commission.

    “I was focused on how you get to an amicable relatively quick settlement that takes place before school opens and does not damage our ability to make sure the schools open on September 6 that there is stability at the school district and that we are able to move forward and continue some of the many gains that Superintendent Ackerman was able to effectuate during her time,” he said.

    The mayor says he helped solicit some of the 405-thousand dollars in private contributions that fueled the buyout. But even with that money, the financially troubled district is still paying a half million dollrs to Ackerman. Nutter says now that the buyout is over, it’s time to move on and begin the search for a replacement superintendent, which could come from the area or nationally.

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