Description
Within this detailed elucidation with regards to the kcs discussed potential challenges to the success of this project.
Table of Contents
Appendix B: Potential Challenges
Appendix C: Team Member Qualifications
Appendix D: Budget Detail
Appendix E: Memorandum of Understanding and Letters of Support
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
Appendix B: Potential Challenges
The KCS discussed potential challenges to the success of this project and grouped them into three broad categories:
(1) Bandwidth, (2) Change Management, and (3) Implementation Risk.
(1) Bandwidth
Challenge: The ability of KCS staff, especially senior leadership, to devote the time that is needed to execute the
resource allocation work on an ongoing basis:
? Time to conduct resource mapping
? Time to conduct rigorous analysis
How the Challenge will be Addressed:
In the short term:
? Resource Mapping and Analysis: The KCS will overcome the issue of resource mapping and analytical
bandwidth through outside partners (Parthenon and ERS). Most of the work will be a one-time intensive effort,
but the KCS and Parthenon will also assess workload associated with ongoing resource allocation activities;
this will feed into the potential organizational changes described below.
In the medium to longer term:
? Process Improvements: The KCS, with help from Parthenon and ERS, will make improvements to existing
planning and budgetary processes to ensure that resource allocation questions, related evaluations and
decisions are explicitly part of the process(es).
? Potential Organizational Changes: The KCS and Parthenon may also determine, over the course of the
project, that certain roles/responsibilities may need to be re-allocated internally within the central office, or that
new positions may need to be created. This will all be part of the initial organizational review referenced in the
Capacity Building section of the proposal and will be captured in the August 30
th
Capacity Building Plan.
(2) Change Management
Challenge: The inclusive nature of the strategic planning process and the resource allocation initiative means that there
will be multiple demands on district leadership and partner time. It will be important to make the time not only to conduct
the analysis, create a solid factbase, understand the implications, and develop action plans, but also to create a genuine
dialog around the initial findings and recommendations. The analyses may well lead to recommendations that are not
universally accepted by stakeholders.
How the Challenge will be Addressed:
? Creating Stakeholder Engagement Capacity: The KCS has created a temporary position (Director of Strategic
Planning) and has already filled this position with an Ed.L.D. resident who will be dedicated full-time to
coordinating the strategic planning effort on behalf of the district. In May-July 2013, the KCS senior leadership
team will come together, as they did for the 2008 CORRE report and for the 2009 strategic plan, to create an
intentional mapping of internal district facilitators against stakeholder meetings and focus groups. The KCS
will also turn to strong external partners (Great Schools Partnership and the Knoxville Chamber) for help with
facilitating meetings, especially meetings with the business community, to augment the capacity of the district.
? Grounding Discussions in Facts: The KCS will work closely with its partners, Parthenon and ERS, to develop a
factbase of critical information on each major resource allocation topic. The goal will be to create a common
understanding of the facts among stakeholders, and to have all discussions be informed and driven by data, to
the extent possible.
(3) Implementation Risk
Challenge: The nature of the challenge is two-fold. First, once the KCS and Parthenon jointly design an improved
process, the district will need to implement it gradually and guard against other priorities or “fire drills” displacing this
priority. Second, the KCS is committing to making resource allocations from one area to another as early as in the 2014-
15 budget development cycle and therefore actual execution steps will occur as early as summer of 2014. There is
always a risk that in the transition period, actions taken to change an instructional model, for example, may have an
adverse impact on students and student achievement, if not carried out well.
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
How the Challenge will be Addressed:
? Accountability: The KCS will assign primary responsibility for the overarching continuous improvement process
to a specific functional area which will act as the “owner” or “coordinator.” Which group / individuals will drive
the process(es) going forward will be determined as part of the project. Once the roles of senior district
leadership in this process are better defined, they too will be become part of an accountability system (i.e.,
become part of “management objectives” against which performance is evaluated annually).
? Implementation Planning that Involved the “Implementers”: The KCS has set a strong model and precedent
with its strategic planning process. The process did not just culminate in the creation of a strategic plan, it was
quickly followed by an inclusive process to develop an implementation roadmap for the strategic plan, with
clear milestones and owners. The KCS will do the same here. Once the strategic plan priorities are set and
the resource allocation decisions are vetted and approved by the Board, the district will commence an
additional stakeholder engagement process to develop the implementation roadmap. By including those who
are closest to the students in these implementation discussions, the KCS will ensure that strong transition
plans are developed so that any potential negative impacts on students and their families are minimized.
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Appendix C: Team Member Qualifications (Partners)
PARTHENON TEAM
? Seth Reynolds, Partner
? Kasia Lundy, Senior Principal
? Kate Stephens, Principal
? Elizabeth Palmer, Associate
? Romy Drucker, Summer Principal
? Daniel Lobo, Summer Associate
PARTHENON ADVISORS
? Tammy Battaglino, Senior Partner
? Haven Ladd, Partner
? Eleanor Laurans, Senior Principal
? Margot Rogers, Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor
? Phil Vaccaro, Senior Principal
ERS TEAM
? Stephen Frank, Partner
? Kristen Ferris, Manager
? Joseph Trawick-Smith, Principal Associate
? Laura Schick, Associate
? Jenny Davidow, Data Analyst
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Seth Reynolds, Partner
Overall Qualifications
? Thirteen years of experience advising senior level clients in K12 districts, higher education institutions, charitable
foundations and for-profit companies, focusing on organizational strategy, project and performance management, and
organizational design
? Leader in Parthenon’s Education Practice, focusing on engagements that have spanned all sectors of the education
system (districts, higher education, states, etc.).
? Former Teach For America corps member (bilingual 5
th
grade Spanish/English teacher)
? As a founding member of the Board of Trustees of the Excel Academy Charter School, served the school through the
transition from its early start-up phase to becoming one of the top 5% of middle schools in Massachusetts since 2007
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management and human capital reform experience:
? In 2009, partnered with Memphis City Schools (MCS) to support district leadership in developing their winning
proposal to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to implement Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives. Collaborated
with district, board and union leadership to develop high level vision for MCS Teacher Effectiveness Initiative and
detailed proposal and plan for how to implement. Plan encompassed key human capital reforms (overhaul of
teacher evaluation system; development of increased pipeline of talent; more rigorous tenure review process;
differentiated retention practices; selection and utilization of master-level teachers, and compensation tied to
career ladder and performance. Developed detailed implementation budget and roadmap, key operational
milestones and performance targets to support the plan. MCS was selected as one of four sites for ongoing
Intensive Partnership
? In 2010-11, continued the Teacher Effectiveness work in Memphis City Schools. Oversaw Parthenon’s
project management efforts to support MCS in implementing the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative (TEI). The
initiative has since been implemented district-wide.
? In 2012-13, partnered with both Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools to develop a joint
strategy for the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative for the soon-to-be merged district and managed team to support
implementation through extremely complex merger (currently ongoing).
? Served as co-lead in supporting the State of Florida in developing its Race to the Top application and
associated assurance plans. Supported State leadership to develop comprehensive plan addressing all RTT
assurances. Facilitated multiple sessions to solicit input from Florida’s district superintendents. Florida was
announced as one of ten winners in the second round of the RTT competition.
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics and turnaround strategies:
? Led team to support Mass Insight Education to analyze how the Turnaround Challenge frameworks have been
utilized in the turnaround work of several leading urban school districts and CMOs nationwide. Through interviews
with school districts, partner organizations and national experts, built an understanding of the disparate turnaround
efforts at several leading districts: New York City; Chicago; Boston; Miami; Charlotte. Developed
recommendations on district approaches to turnaround, including the importance of the necessary conditions for
successful change and the potential cost of implementing these changes. Detailed steps for the acceleration of a
marketplace for partner organizations capable of providing turnaround services at scale. Presented findings at the
American Enterprise Institute Conference focused on national models of school turnaround.
? Personalized learning experience:
? Led the team that supported founder J oel Rose to develop and begin implementation of the business plan
for School of One, the NYC DOE’s first major pilot in significantly personalized learning. In this work, Mr.
Reynolds developed short and long-term implementation plans to ensure success against the goals of the project,
developed organizational and financial models to execute against the plan, and supported the DOE with initial
program design, early implementation and launch of the initial pilot. Ultimately, the initial School of One pilot was
successfully launched in Summer 2009 with extremely high achievement and student/parent satisfaction, and was
named one of the Top 50 Inventions of 2009 by TIME Magazine.
Education
? M.B.A, MIT Sloan, Boston, MA
? M.P.A, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
? B.A., Amherst College, Amherst, MA
? Founding member of the Board of Trustees of Excel Academy, a charter middle school in East Boston
References
? Dr. Kriner Cash, former Superintendent, Memphis City Schools
? Joel Rose, Founder and CEO, New Classrooms (and founder of School of One)
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Kasia Lundy, Senior Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Over ten years of management consulting experience
? Six years of project management and operational experience in higher education, overseeing administrative departments
and as Chief of Staff to Presidents Summers, Bok and Faust. Proven track record in operations and staff management,
developing and managing budgets, and streamlining operations
? Full-time member of Parthenon’s Education Practice. Case team leader. Focused exclusively on education
engagements that span work at all levels of the education system (school networks, districts, states and federal
government). Has also led strategic planning engagements for a variety of education clients including nonprofit higher
education institutions, foundations, membership organizations, and community-based organizations.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Supported the State of Georgia in developing its Race to the Top application. Worked with multiple constituents
including educators (superintendents, principals and teachers); Georgia Department of Education, Department of
Early Care and Learning; Professional Standards Commission; University System of Georgia; Technical College
System of Georgia; Georgia Student Finance Commission; and Governor’s Office of Student Achievement).
Facilitated meetings of these stakeholders to vet recommendations and develop final plan. Georgia was
announced as a winner in the second round of the RTT competition.
? Partnered with Milwaukee Public Schools in developing the district’s Race to the Top – District application.
Facilitated stakeholder engagement (district staff, principals, teachers, parents, and students) in developing the
plan. Led a team that developed specific personalized learning recommendations and related cost estimates,
vetted recommendations with the Project Steering Committee, and co-wrote final application.
? Co-led effort to develop a school portfolio strategy for Chicago Public Schools: Working closely with the
Steering Committee (district leadership and board of education representation), assessed how well students were
currently served in regional collaboratives and networks, “negotiated” the role and responsibilities of a new
Portfolio Office vis-à-vis other key functions in the district, combined several distinct functions under the Portfolio
Office umbrella, benchmarked against other portfolio offices nationally to develop organizational/staffing recom-
mendations, vetted recommendations with leadership, and developed job descriptions for key roles in the office.
? Strategic human capital initiatives:
? Partnered with Omaha Public Schools (OPS), one of the districts selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation to submit proposals for developing and implementing Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives. Working
closely with district, union and board of education leadership, helped develop a comprehensive approach to talent
management, at the teacher level and principal level. Assisted district leadership with developing a detailed
implementation budget and roadmap, key operational milestones and performance targets. OPS was selected as
one of five finalists eligible to receive funding to implement Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives (TEI).
? Partnered with the Houston Independent School District (HISD) to design a new performance-based
compensation plan for classroom teachers. The design involved replacing the step and lane system with a system
where compensation levels and increases were driven by consistent performance over time (as defined by the
teacher’s overall evaluation ratings, which included student growth).
? Capacity assessment and capacity building experience:
? Partnered with the Council of the Great City Schools to lead a strategic planning effort to assess member
district perceptions of the organization, interest in new products and services, and the Council’s current capacity to
execute against member district needs. Developed a succession plan and a capacity building plan for the Council,
including addition of staff and development of new processes in specific areas. The plan was accepted by the
Council’s Executive Committee.
? Partnered with the J im J oseph Foundation to assess implementation capacity of higher education grantees.
Worked closely with the foundation and the grantees to conduct an assessment of management capacity at the
grantee level and recommended organizational changes to optimize implementation approach
? Partnered with the US Department of Education to develop a plan for strengthening the Department’s use of
program data and evaluation for budget, policy and program improvement. Working closely with senior leadership,
helped create a framework for a decision-making process to determine the evaluation activities that should be
given priority in a given planning cycle. Helped clarify the roles and responsibilities of the two organizations
responsible for carrying out evaluation activities
Education
? M.B.A, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA
? B.A. in Economics, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
References
? Dr. John Mackiel, former Superintendent, Omaha Public Schools
? Michael Casserly, Executive Director, Council of the Great City Schools
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Kate Stephens, Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Active member of Parthenon’s Education Practice, with a focus on large urban K12 districts and education-focused
philanthropies
? Additional experience includes efforts with clients in the international K12 and US higher education sectors
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Supported the design of a long-term internal strategy for the Department of Portfolio Planning (DPP) at the
NYC Department of Education. Interviewed key stakeholders across various NYC DOE departments that impact
or are impacted by DPP actions to determine inefficiencies in the current system; developed an 18-month plan to
ensure that the DPP accomplishes the key goals they have established for themselves prior to the 2014 change in
city government; identified and prioritized key actions critical to ensuring the longevity of current reforms.
? Supported the University System of Florida in developing a new polytechnic institution focused on increasing
the number of STEM graduates in the state of Florida while meeting the stated needs of the region’s employers
and industries. Surveyed industry stakeholders to assess specific needs; evaluated universities to determine how
graduates are prepared for the workforce today and what partnerships with industry exist; and analyzed historical
and current data (and future projections) on STEM graduates, degrees and programs.
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics:
? Worked with Newark Public Schools to design school performance reports. Early on, such reports were needed
to support targeted improvement strategies with schools. Looking ahead, the reports will form the basis of the
district’s accountability and performance management system. Tasks ranged from the collection of data and the
design, development and creation of the reports, to the training of school leaders in use of the reports and the
facilitation of stakeholder engagement sessions to improve report design. Ongoing work involves the development
of a long-term portfolio strategy for Newark’s schools.
? Supported coordination across district and charters schools in Newark, NJ to enable the scaling of city-wide
school performance reports. Worked with multiple education entities in the city including Newark Public Schools,
Newark Charter School Fund, and the Foundation for Newark’s Future to coordinate the design, development and
release of reports to key stake holders. Facilitated meetings with these stakeholders; developed training programs
for various users; incorporated stakeholder feedback; and created a long-term plan for annual issuance of these
reports.
? Personalized learning experience:
? Supported the Gates Foundation Next Generation Learning team in articulating the portfolio’s investment
strategy, which focuses on developing school models and tools which enable improved outcomes through
personalized learning, and which also seeks to lower environmental barriers that are currently obstacles to the
broader adoption of personalized learning. Constructed an impact model to explore where and how such
investments would benefit the personalized learning space most significantly.
? Other relevant experiences:
? Supported the development and design of a new teacher preparation program in partnership with the
Woodrow Wilson Foundation. Researched existing teacher preparation programs and efficacy gaps; identified
potential partners for financial or academic support; and modeled costs of the various school models proposed
from start-up to steady state.
Education
? B.A. with Honors in Art History and Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA
References
? Brad Haggerty, Assistant Superintendent, Newark Public Schools
? Paymon Rouhanifard, Chief Strategy Officer, Newark Public Schools (formerly with the Department of Portfolio Planning
at the NYC Department of Education)
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Elizabeth Palmer, Associate
Overall Qualifications
? Full-time member of Parthenon’s Education Practice. Has worked with leading national foundations and K12 public
school districts. Engagements have focused on developing effective private-public partnerships, teacher quality,
personalized learning and performance management through effective school evaluation.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Partnered with Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools to implement a comprehensive human
capital strategy prior to the districts’ consolidation in July 2013. Facilitated collaboration across Teacher and
Leader Evaluation, Professional Development, Recruitment and Staffing and Strategic Compensation
functions as outlined in the joint proposal to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation requesting additional grant
support to carry forward the work of the MCS Teacher Effectiveness Initiative. Worked closely with staff to
oversee development of the human capital budget and execution of several pilots and other stakeholder
engagement efforts. Detailed planning for the newly designed Talent Management Office of the unified school
system is underway.
? District and school-level performance diagnostics:
? Partnered with Newark Public Schools and Newark charter schools to develop a summative data
dashboard to be used as a district-level accountability tool, for annual school-level goal setting, and eventually
for parent communication and engagement. Coordinated with state, district and charter data teams to build a
comprehensive student level dataset and establish processes for future collaboration to improve quality and
completeness of available information. Supported NPS senior leadership in developing a communication
strategy around school performance in Newark, including both district and charter schools.
? Other relevant experiences:
? Financial Analysis / Budgeting: Partnered with the Rodel Foundation of Delaware to assess the
programmatic impact and sustainability outcomes of over five years of grantmaking activity. Interviewed key
stakeholders and staff at grantee organizations to develop strategy for improved partnerships. Developed
comprehensive view of Rodel’s current financial and non-financial resource allocation to support strategic
planning efforts. Modeled financial scenarios designed to achieve alignment of resource allocation to strategic
vision.
? Survey Experience: Partnered with Knovel (web-based application for technical engineering reference
information) to identify market sub-segments based on customer needs. Designed and executed survey of
two largest markets to assess user satisfaction, feature-use, content consumption, and remaining pain points.
Performed clustering analysis to determine attributes of functionally defined user groups to inform innovative
product packaging and development of targeted features.
Education
? B.A. in Economics, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
References
? Asha Banker, Executive Director, Data & Policy, Newark Public Schools
? Laura Link, Assistant Superintendent, Teaching, Learning & Professional Development, Shelby County
Schools
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Romy Drucker, Summer Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Six years of direct experience in a school district setting (NYC Department of Education)
Specific Roles
? Chief of Staff to Deputy Chancellor of Portfolio Planning:
? Working closely with the deputy Chancellor, helped manage the NYC DOE division responsible for planning
and executing New York City’s Portfolio strategy, which impacts 1.1 million students and 1,700+ schools. Led
cross-functional projects across the Division’s seven teams. Directed all Divisional internal and external
communications and engagement (with principals, parents, partners, press, and politicians).
? Director of Strategy and Communications in the Office of the COO:
? Led strategic initiatives and special projects to promote alignment across the organization (e.g., coordinated
successful NYC DOE federal Race to the Top grant application). Helped organize the NYC DOE’s strategic
planning process for Mayor Bloomberg’s third term.
? Special Assistant to the Chancellor:
? Supported Chancellor Klein’s reform agenda by managing strategic operations and priority projects.
Partnered with Deputy Chancellors and senior staff to problem solve, facilitate objectives, and ensure
progress toward key targets.
? Special Assistant to the CEO, Office of Strategic Partnerships/The Fund for Public Schools, Inc.
? Coordinated work with City Hall, Chancellor’s Office, prospective donors, current funders, and Fund Board of
Directors. Helped raise $70 million in FY08-FY10.
Education
? M.B.A. Candidate, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA
? B.A. in Literature and Spanish, Yale College, New Haven, CT
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Daniel Lobo, Summer Associate
Overall
? B.A. Candidate in Social Studies, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA.
Education-Related Experience
? Teaching Intern in the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program:
? Completed over 500 hours of instructional/observational time during practicum at the John D. O’Bryant School
of Mathematics and Science in Boston, while enrolled in three college courses. Planned and taught an
engaging five week unit on English colonization.
? Anticipated Initial Level Secondary Education Teaching License in History.
? Intern at the Fullbridge Program in Cambridge:
? The program prepares motivated college and university students and graduates to successfully transition
between traditional education and the complex demands of the modern workplace.
? Helped develop the company’s four-week business education program.
? Co-President of Students for Education Reform at Harvard:
? Maintains working relationships with state and local education legislators and advocates, and organizes
annual college visits with promising schools/programs. Organized annual two-day winter session event, “Ed
Reform 101: Turning Passion Into Action.”
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Tamara Butler Battaglino, Senior Partner, Co-Head of the Public Education Practice
Overall Qualifications
? Co-founded and co-leads Parthenon's Education Center of Excellence
? Over fifteen years of management experience focused on education sectors
? Proven track record of strategy development, performance management and operational excellence, and new venture
creation. Clients span the K12, higher education, and corporate training markets across a wide range of organizations that
include: start-ups, Fortune 100 companies, federal, state and local government agencies, school networks and reform
organizations, and a number of the world's largest philanthropic foundations focused on education improvements and
reform
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Driver of Parthenon’s collective efforts to support six states and the District of Columbia in the development
of Race to the Top applications. Lead partner responsible for GA, NY and DC RTT applications. Helped establish
and lead a highly collaborative process, engaging stakeholders across agencies, state, local, site level, university
partners, associations, professional organizations, foundations, corporations, etc. All Parthenon partner states were
selected as finalists for RTT interviews (CA, CO, DC, GA, FL, NY, and OH). Five of seven partner states awarded
RTT grants (DC, GS, FL, NY, and OH)
? Lead partner for Teacher and Leader Effectiveness / Human Capital Strategies in Education. Oversaw both
Parthenon efforts with district partners selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to submit proposals for
developing and implementing Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives (Memphis City Schools and Omaha Public Schools).
Worked closely with district, union and board of education leadership to help develop a comprehensive approach to
talent management, at the teacher level and principal level. Both districts were selected among a group of five
finalists eligible to receive funding to implement Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives (TEI). Involved in ongoing
implementation of strategic plan in Memphis.
? Lead partner to support NY State Education Department in developing strategy and associated implementation
plan for statewide longitudinal P16 data system.
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics and turnaround strategies:
? Led ground-breaking engagement with the NYC Department of Education Office of Multiple Pathways to
Graduation. Developed comprehensive student population fact-base and segmentation based on size,
characteristics, and trajectory of NYC’s overage and under-credited students though the city’s secondary system and
corresponding portfolio programs. Worked with NYC DOE team to identify potential strategies to improve the system
graduation rate and articulate key internal and external requirements for success. Projected effects of planned
investments and assessed “cost per point” of system-wide graduation rate increase
? Partnered with Boston Public Schools on Graduation Pathways. Developed a comprehensive fact-base to
inform strategic planning in BPS high schools. Identified four key segments of at-risk students, which together
account for 74% of all eventual drop-outs and are identifiable no later than the end of a student’s first year of high
school. Created a detailed plan to expand and improve BPS’ education options for off-track students, with specific
recommendations for: 1) Staffing models and partnerships with outside providers / CBO’s, 2) Youth development
and curriculum planning, 3) Financial allocations, and 4) District oversight supports.
? Co-authored chapter with J oEllen Lynch in the American Enterprise Institute Volume, More Than Just
Schools: Rethinking the Demand for Educational Entrepreneurship. Paper explores how districts can employ
strategic approaches to develop a comprehensive portfolio of schools that best addresses the needs of all students,
with a focus on historically under-served populations. It identifies the core components for effective school models,
resource requirements, and the relative return on investment based upon student outcomes to ensure the most
effective allocation of its resources to areas of greatest need.
? Personalized learning experience:
? Co-authored papers on Next Generation Learning in partnership with the Carnegie Corporation of New York, The
Opportunity Equation and Stupski Foundation: Next Generation Learning – Defining the Opportunity and Next
Generation Learning – Scaling the Opportunity
? “The Costs of Online Learning”: Co-authored a chapter in Fordham Institute's volume, Education Reform for the
Digital Era, summarizing the firm’s research on the strategic and financial considerations in different school models.
http://www.edexcellence.net/publications/education-reform-for-the-digital-era.html
? Partnered with the Gates Foundation to develop its strategy to support and accelerate the adoption of high
performing and whole-school personalized learning models. The project included extensive interviews with thought
leaders and entrepreneurs in the space, as well as a survey of administrators. The resulting research will shortly be
published in a white paper co-authored with the Foundation team and entitled, The ship is sailing: Momentum builds
for the use of blended instruction to personalize K12 education.
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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? Resource Allocation and School Finance Reform:
? Partnered with the Gates Foundation in supporting development of the strategy for its new investment portfolio
targeted at improving the resource allocation strategies of school districts and postsecondary institutions. The work
included a comprehensive fact-base of resources in the postsecondary space, as well as strategic planning for the
work to support K12 and postsecondary decision-makers.
? Led NYC Department of Education New Small Schools Fiscal Analysis. Conducted analysis of public and
private investment in New Small Schools in NYC provided an opportunity to help inform the field about the financial
implications of raising system performance in large urban districts. Informed potential future intermediary business
planning requirements (including strategic and sustainability requirements). Provided evidence of success among
new small schools working with traditionally under-served populations
Education and Board Affiliations
? M.B.A, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA
? M.Ed., Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA
? B.A. in Economics, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
? Board Member for International Network of Public Schools in NYC
References
? Lillian Lowery, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools
? Joel Klein, News Corp
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Haven Ladd, Partner
Overall Qualifications
? Fifteen years of management consulting experience
? Ten years of dedicated consulting work in the education industry, primarily focused on K-12 districts and higher education
institutions
? Leader of Parthenon’s Education practice. Led district projects with Chicago Public Schools, Boston Public Schools,
Newark Public Schools, Detroit Public Schools, and Houston Independent School District. Project work focused on
district improvement, re-design, financial management, accountability, and student outcomes
? Client experience with federal and state policy makers, including U.S. Ed, Michigan Department of Education, and New
Jersey Department of Education
? Led numerous projects with education-oriented foundations, including The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Michael
and Susan Dell Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, and others
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? In 2008-2012, partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to support district leadership developing and
implementing strategies to improve graduation rates for at-risk students. Identified risk factors, assessed current
performance of at-risk youth, analyzed program and school model effectiveness, and developed economic impact
of scaling. Managed change management and implementation process of recommendations
? In 2011, developed “Excellent Schools Detroit”. Working with a broad set of stakeholders in Detroit, assessed
educational needs and gaps in the current system, and developed and designed an independent 501(c)3 to
manage accountability, human capital development, and school recruitment in Detroit. Developed budget, hiring
plan, and governance model.
? Led team to support Boston Public Schools in increasing data use and analytic capacity across the district.
Analyzed current data usage at school and district levels. Made organizational and process recommendations to
develop substantially greater capacity in data capture, analysis, and use across the district. Continue to be
involved in ongoing efforts to change the management style of central office and schools.
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics and turnaround strategies:
? Led team with the Chicago Public Schools to develop a strategy to increase graduation rates. Conducted in-
depth analysis of student performance data, to better understand the differences between students who ultimately
graduated versus dropped out of high school. Analyzed the performance of high schools and various school
programs to identify pockets of success. Working closely with the district, developed a multi-year strategy to open
new schools and grow programs to increase graduation rates. Developed detailed implementation plans, including
financial needs, graduation rate impact by year, and action plans.
? Led team at Newark Public Schools to design school performance reports. Early on, such reports were needed
to assess the state of the district’s schools to prioritize school actions and resource allocation, while in the future,
the reports will form the basis of the district’s accountability and performance management system. Activities
ranged from the collection of data and the design, development and creation of the reports, to the training of
school leaders in use of the reports and the facilitation of stakeholder engagement sessions to improve report
design. Ongoing work involves the development of a long-term portfolio strategy for Newark’s schools.
? In 2012, designed and implemented Educational Achievement Authority in Michigan to take over and turn
around persistently low achieving schools in the state, with a focus on Detroit. Managed large stakeholder
engagement process, oversaw legal team to develop innovative joint authority between Detroit Public Schools and
Eastern Michigan University, and developed change management plan.
? Personalized learning experience:
? Led the team to support development of e-learn innovation Hub in Chicago. Identified hurdles to innovation
and implementation of blended learning strategies in Chicago. Designed school-based pilot labs to test products
in alpha and beta stages of development. Developed support mechanism to ensure long-term sustainability of
innovations. The e-learn innovation hub concept will be rolled out in Fall 2013
Education
? M.B.A, Tuck School of Business, Hanover, NH; Graduate with distinction and was named a Tuck Scholar
? B.A. in History and Literature, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA; cum laude
References
? Ron Huberman, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools
? Tonya Allen, Skillman Foundation
? Beth Swanson, Deputy Chief of Staff for Education, City of Chicago
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
11 | P a g e
Eleanor Laurans, Senior Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Experience in both consulting and education administration, with ten years of management consulting
? Experience at the NYC Department of Education as a special assistant to the Chancellor’s Chief of Staff. Helped
manage and support special projects and cross-functional teams
? Member of Parthenon’s Education Practice. Focused exclusively on education engagements across public, non-profit
and for-profit clients. Experience includes public school districts (Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Omaha
Public Schools), national foundations (The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York,
and the Stupski Foundation), and international for-profit education publishing and higher education organizations.
Case team leader.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Partnered with Omaha Public Schools, one of the districts selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to
submit proposals for developing and implementing Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives:. Working closely with
district, union and board of education leadership, helped develop a comprehensive approach to talent
management, at the teacher level and principal level. Plan included core talent management elements such
as: pipeline development; creation of fair, rigorous and transparent evaluation systems with student growth as
a substantial component; promotion and retention practices; and compensation tied to performance. Also
assisted district with developing a detailed implementation budget and roadmap, key operational milestones
and performance targets. District was selected as one of five finalists eligible to receive funding to implement
Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives (TEI)
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics and turnaround strategies:
? Partnered with the Chicago Public Schools to develop a strategy to increase graduation rates. Conducted in-
depth analysis of student performance data, to better understand the differences between students who
ultimately graduated versus dropped out of high school. Analyzed the performance of high schools and
various school programs to identify pockets of success. Working closely with the district, developed a multi-
year strategy to open new schools and grow programs to increase graduation rates. Developed detailed
implementation plans, including financial needs, graduation rate impact by year, and action plans.
? Partnered with the Chicago Public Schools to implement credit recovery programs targeted at off-track
freshmen. Analyzed results of existing schools and programs; assessed existing resources, including people,
processes, technology and money; conducted focus groups with principals to solicit input in program design;
worked closely with district personnel to design the specific criteria for the new program, including entry
requirements for students, student teacher ratios, financial plans, and human capital (including teacher
recruitment to the program).
? Personalized learning experience:
? Partnered with the Gates Foundation to develop its strategy to support and accelerate the adoption of high
performing and whole-school personalized learning models. The project included extensive interviews with
thought leaders and entrepreneurs in the space, as well as a survey of administrators. The resulting research
will shortly be published in a white paper co-authored with the Foundation team and entitled, The ship is
sailing: Momentum builds for the use of blended instruction to personalize K12 education.
? Resource Allocation and School Finance Reform:
? “The Costs of Online Learning”: Co-authored a chapter in Fordham Institute's volume, Education Reform for
the Digital Era, summarizing the firm’s research on the strategic and financial considerations in different
school models. http://www.edexcellence.net/publications/education-reform-for-the-digital-era.html
? Partnered with the Gates Foundation in supporting development of the strategy for its new investment portfolio
targeted at improving the resource allocation strategies of school districts and postsecondary institutions. The
work included a comprehensive factbase of resources in the postsecondary space, as well as strategic
planning for the work to support K12 and postsecondary decision-makers.
Education
? M.B.A, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA; High Distinction Baker Scholar award
? B.A. in Economics, Yale University, New Haven, CT; honors in Economics
References
? Stacey Childress, Deputy Director, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
? Stefanie Sanford, Chief of Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations, the College Board
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Margot Rogers, Vice-Chairman and Senior Advisor
Overall Qualifications
? Over twenty years of experience in K-12 education program and policy work across the non-profit, philanthropic,
government, and consulting sectors, including significant work on federal and state education policy (both legislative and
regulatory), the development and implementation of organizational strategy, and management of large-scale change
efforts.
? For the past two years, Vice-Chairman and Senior Advisor to Parthenon’s education team, largely focused on K-12 public
education.
? Experience solving complex problems from a variety of perspectives: an attorney working with parents/schools/districts, a
funder (staff and board member), the Chief of Staff at a 4200 person federal agency (U.S. Department of Education), a
management consultant
? Served on multiple boards (currently on the Joyce Foundation Board of Directors and the review panels for the Broad
Prize for Urban School Reform and the Broad Prize for Public Charter Schools). Varied local education experience,
including (for example): Vice-Chair, Superintendent’s Advisory Committee on Instruction, Member, Professional
Development Task Force, and Member, STEM Advisory Committee (all in the Arlington Public Schools in Arlington,
Virginia)
Specific Education-Related Experience
? Human Capital/Talent Development:
? As Chief of Staff at the US Department of Education, responsible for hiring team of 150 political appointees and
developing the talent pipeline. With Deputy Secretary, implemented new system of Human Capital reviews
across the agency, focusing on identifying talent, differentiating performance and strategic pipeline development,
particularly for managers.
? Federal Policy:
? As a public sector attorney, focused on Title I, IDEA and other federal programs, with a particular emphasis on
interpretation of the statutes, regulations, and how they impacted implementation at the district level. Authored
“Planning for Title I Programs: Guidelines for Parents, Advocates and Educators”.
? Management:
? As Chief of Staff at the US Department of Education, worked closely with the Deputy Secretary to develop
systems to support both existing work (implementation of federal programs) with new work (implementation of the
Recovery Act, new competitive programs, and direct student lending)
? As Chief of Staff at the US Department of Education, day to day management responsibility for seven offices with
~ 150 employees. General responsibility for ensuring the effectiveness of the 4200 person agency.
? As a Deputy Director of the College-Ready team at the Gates Foundation, managed and developed teams of
program officers working in the Midwest and Southeast. Oversaw the management of a ~$200 million portfolio.
? At Parthenon, serve as an advisor across a variety of engagements, providing guidance based on practical, multi-
sector experience. Specific projects include (for example):
? Bechtel Foundation (Common Core Math implementation)
? State of Delaware (Early Learning Challenge)
? Council of Great City Schools (Capacity Assessment and Capacity Building)
Education
? J.D., University of Virginia
? M.A. (American History), University of Virginia
? Coursework (graduate history program), Rotary International Fellow, University of Toronto
? B.A. (History), Emory University
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Phil Vaccaro, Senior Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Experience in both consulting and education administration, with ten years of management consulting
? Experience at the NYC Department of Education as the Executive Director of School Performance; led many of the
school accountability reforms as part of Joel Klein’s Children First Initiatives
? Member of Parthenon’s Education Practice. Focused exclusively on education engagements across public and non-
profit clients. Experience includes public school districts (Newark, Chicago, Memphis, and Detroit Public Schools),
State Education Agencies (Louisiana, Michigan), and national foundations (The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the
Broad Foundation). Case team leader.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Human capital strategies and change management
? Partnered with Memphis City Schools, one of the districts selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to
develop and implement Teacher Effectiveness strategies, to institutionalize its human capital reforms,
particularly as it navigates its ongoing merger with Shelby County Schools; the work has focused on four key
areas: evaluations, professional development, staffing and recruitment, and strategic compensation; led cross-
district teams to align and augment human capital reforms, including supporting the development of new
Board policies around teacher evaluation as well as school staffing based on mutual consent
? Partnered with The Gates Foundation to develop a market view of key products and services that support
teacher effectiveness work, including in areas such as value-added/growth analysis, student surveys,
observation tools, innovative professional development, and data systems
? School performance and portfolio management
? Partnered with the Chicago Public Schools to develop a new portfolio office that oversees student enrollment,
new school creation, charter schools, and school actions (e.g., closures and turnarounds); led the school
action process for the district in 2011-12 that resulted in 20 school actions aimed at improving the quality of
educational opportunities for students, particularly in high need areas; performed a program analysis of the
100+ academic programs in Chicago schools to understand which programs were generating the highest
return on investment for the district with the goal of identifying and replicating the highest ROI programs and
exiting the lowest ROI programs.
? Partnered with Newark Public Schools to lead the implementation of a new performance management system
starting from the design and production of school data dashboards for district and charter schools; led a
comprehensive stakeholder engagement process across the district, charter schools, and local foundations to
build buy-in for the reports as well as created a parent-friendly version that is being released this spring; led a
second effort to refine these dashboards to better assess measures of student need and integrate additional
measures of college and career readiness; trained assistant superintendents, school principals, and data
analysts on how to use and interpret the reports; used the data generated in the analysis to support the
Superintendent in a presentation on the quality of public schools in the district that was used as a launching
point for key reform initiatives.
? Partnered with the State of Michigan, Detroit Public Schools, The Broad Foundation, and key Michigan/Detroit
stakeholders to establish the blueprint and business plan for the Education Achievement System, a new
statewide entity (akin to the Recovery School District) that assumed oversight and management for 15 Detroit
schools in the fall of 2012; the business plan outlined the mission for the organization, enrollment policies,
funding sources, and accountability plan; led stakeholder engagement sessions with over 50 local business
and community leaders.
? Education Technology
? Partnered with The Gates Foundation to help develop its technology strategy across College Ready and Post-
Secondary; work focused on several specific investment areas including new technologies, content and tools,
partnerships to drive demand, prototypes and early pilots, and data/analytics.
? Partnered with The Gates Foundation to perform a market study on digital content and courseware.
Education
? Master’s in Education, City College, New York, NY
? B.A. in Economics, Harvard University, Boston, MA; cum laude in Economics
References
? Cami Anderson, Superintendent, Newark Public Schools
? Laura Link, Chief Human Capital Officer, Shelby County Schools
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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ERS TEAM
Stephen Frank, Partner
Overall Qualifications
? As a member of the ERS Leadership Team:
? Helps to decide and implement ERS business strategy
? Leads ERS Research and Methods and the data analytics team, making him responsible for the consistency
and analytic quality of ERS projects and comparative data sets.
? An original architect or idea generator for vital ERS tools, including the ERS dream tool and ERS’ CAPS cost
allocation software system, which helps ERS allocate district costs down to specific students.
? Oversees all ERS practice areas teams and leads the funding system practice area, providing knowledge and
content support to ERS project teams.
? Has over a dozen years of management consulting experience in the field of education, specializing in helping districts
(and states) measure current practices regarding school and district resource use and determining ways to reallocate
existing resources for improved student outcomes. His specific recent focus is to create a robust ROI metric that can be
used to help districts choose between transformational policy initiatives and to help create an order and sequence of
reforms that leads to system-wide transformation
? Heads ERS’s efforts to establish a new, state education agency centered practice, including the ongoing multi-year
RTTT funded project with the Georgia Department of Education.
? Coauthor with Karen Hawley Miles of The Strategic School, Corwin Press. And lead author of numerous ERS
publications and reports.
? Worked as advisor on TX-FAST and other select boards and commissions regarding use of data to measure and
improve efficiency of school resource use.
? Prior to coming to ERS, Stephen was a management consultant at Bain & Company in Dallas. He has also taught
education and public policy classes for institutions including the Broad Institute, New Leaders for New Schools,
Brigham Young University, and Duke University’s Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy. He is a recipient of the Jacob
Javits, James B. Duke and Robert S. Fulbright Fellowships.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Provide analysis and strategic advice and recommendations to district leaders regarding reallocation
priorities: Has led or co-led dozens of ERS resource mapping engagements including engagements with Los
Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC, Baltimore, Syracuse, Providence, Prince George’s County and elsewhere,
helping superintendents identify their top reallocation priorities and giving concrete recommendations for how they can
improve student performance with existing resources. Work with districts to create high-level implementation plans.
? Provide strategic advice to SEA regarding district support practices and resource use policies: Currently
leading ERS’s GA work, which includes providing strategic support to five GA districts, conducting an audit of GA
policies that impact resource use, analyzing how resources are used across the state (all LEAs), and crafting a set of
recommendations regarding policy and data collection practices to lead to improved resource use and an improved
strategy for providing support to LEAs in GA.
? Help districts design and implement compensation reform: Currently leading ERS compensation reform projects
in Fulton County and Marietta Georgia as well as a smaller design-only project in NYC. Helping districts design a
compensation schedule that will systematically shift and develop the workforce to improve student performance within
financial constraints. Includes comparative labor-market analysis of compensation, helping districts understand their
current value proposition for teachers and identifying areas where it might currently fall short, helping redesign
recruiting and hiring practices, modeling the cost and predicted student learning impact of various compensation
schedules, helping facilitate decision making around the various compensation options and helping to build consensus
and create implementation plans that lead to the adoption of a revised compensation schedule.
? Help districts implement per-pupil funding systems: Has led projects with school systems such as Baltimore and
Prince George’s County to revise their funding system for greater equity and transparency and to promote a more
strategic use of school-level resources. Acts as content advisor for all ERS projects regarding funding system redesign.
Education
? Ph.D., Fulbright Fellow, Javits Fellow, Duke Fellow | Duke University
? B.A., International Relations | Brigham Young University
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Kristen Ferris, Manager
Overall Qualifications
? Has worked as a project manager at ERS for three years, managing client relationships as well as multiple
workstreams of the analytic and implementation support engagements.
? Her work with partner districts has focused on broader resource mapping, analyzing district data to determine key
levers for transforming resource use. She is regarded as a leader at ERS in conducting this work for maximum client
impact.
? She also leads ERS’ strategic school design practice area, creating tools and materials that shape the way that ERS
works with schools and districts to organize school budgets, staffing plans, and schedules to support student
achievement.
? Prior to working at ERS, Kristen worked for Chicago Public schools as a project manager and the director of
accountability.
? Kristen also taught seventh grade in Chicago Public Schools as a Teach for America Corps Member.
? While in graduate school, she worked for Lighthouse Academies, a Charter Management Organization, designing an
organizational strategy to support strong data practices in schools.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Provide analysis and strategic advice and recommendations to district leaders regarding reallocation
priorities: Kristen has served as the primary project manager for strategic resource analysis projects with the DC
Public Schools and Duval County Schools in Florida, helping analyze data and create recommendations for aligning
resource use with district priorities in support of improved student outcomes. She has also led smaller analytic projects
with Elgin Illinois and elsewhere, providing strategic advice to superintendents regarding ways to improve the
effectiveness of their resource use. participated on project teams for numerous other districts.
? Oversee ERS Resource Mapping analysis: In 2013, she served as the project manager for the ERS data analytics
team in which roles she managed all ERS resource mapping projects, ensuring consistent quality and method. She
was also responsible for the development and training of all new and experienced associates working on these projects
as well as ensuring that these projects progressed smoothly and on-budget.
? Train school leaders in the development and implementation of strategic school designs: As School Design
Practice Head, Kristen has worked with principals and instructional superintendents in Denver, DC and with several
Charter Management Organizations to assess the organization of people, time and money and develop new schedules
and staffing plans to better match resources to student needs.
? Develop school accountability programs: At Chicago Public Schools’ Office of Research, Evaluation, and
Accountability, first as a Project Manager, and later as the Director of Accountability she managed the District’s
implementation of No Child Left Behind’s school accountability provisions and led the development of a new School
Performance Policy, and Student and Parent Surveys.
Education
? Master of Public Policy | University of California, Berkeley
? B.A., Philosophy, Politics and Economics | University of Pennsylvania
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Joseph Trawick-Smith, Principal Associate
Overall Qualifications
? In two years at ERS, has conducted core ERS resource mapping projects for over half a dozen different school
systems and has become a leader in managing core ERS resource mapping projects, with a particular strength in
process management, earning him a rapid promotion to principal associate.
? As a founding member of ERS’s consulting practice area team, has helped to create tools and processes to improve
the quality and impact of ERS engagements and to help track ERS impact over time. He has also helped develop core
elements of ERS’ five-year business strategy/.
? Prior to ERS, Joseph worked at Steeldeck NY, a full-scale event services company in Brooklyn, NY. While earning his
MBA, he worked with City Year Headquarters to help build strategic data infrastructure as part of a fellowship with
Education Pioneers. During this time he was also an active member of Net Impact and a founding member of the MBA
Oath at Babson College.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Perform District Resource Analysis: Joe has analyzed district resource use in DC, Newark, Marietta City, Fulton
County, Vidalia City, Treutlen County, Hall County and helped provide support to teams of associates analyzing
resource use in Prince George’s County, Cleveland and Austin.
? Develop State Resource Analysis and Data Reporting: Joe is currently analyzing resource use across all Georgia
LEAs as part of a broader project to help GA DOE understand opportunities and challenges with existing resource use
and state data practices. He also worked to inform GA’s forthcoming STAR accountability ratings by helping the GA
DOE develop a more robust way to allocate and measure dollars per pupil spent in GA schools.
? Provide analysis and strategic advice and recommendations to district leaders regarding reallocation
priorities: Has led ERS efforts to create and present recommendations regarding resource reallocation opportunities
in Fulton County.
Education
? MBA, Finance | Babson College, F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business
? B.A., Psychology & Visual Art | Drew University
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Laura Schick, Associate
Overall Qualifications
? In two years at ERS, Laura has worked on multiple projects helping districts analyze and better understand how their
resource allocations are aligned with their strategic goals.
? Her talent for data analysis has helped her fill a vital role on the ERS method team, converting research questions and
goals into specific calculations and data architectures that work across multiple districts and to resolve data and
method issues, promoting comparability across projects. She also serves on the funding system practice area team.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Perform District Resource Analysis: Laura has worked on several project teams, helping to quantify district
resource use patterns and opportunities, including Denver, Austin, and several GA districts.
? Analyze School Funding Systems: In Prince George’s County, she took on the lead analyst role, gathering,
collecting and processing data, creating metrics and reports, arranging client meetings, and ensuring the smooth
operation of the project, while helping to supervise and develop the capabilities of new team members.
? Data Modeling: Prior to joining ERS in early 2011, she worked as an Analyst at ICF International, modeling
greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector for the EPA to support environmental regulations.
Education
? B.A. | Wesleyan University
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Jenny Davidow, Data Analyst
Overall Qualifications
? In her first year at ERS, Jenny has worked on several resource mapping projects.
? She has also taken ownership of the ERS comparative dataset, ensuring that partner district data is clean, accurate
and standardized across all projects.
? She has developed an expertise at supporting the collection and processing of district financial, human resources, and
course schedule data.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Maintain and manage comparative district database: Jenny’s primary assignments at ERS are to maintain the
comparative database and to support the ERS Technology and ERS Methodology teams to ensure that the ERS data
analysis platform is current and optimized for the needs of partner engagement.
? Data modeling: Prior to ERS, Jenny worked at the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) where she was
responsible for the evaluation of programs designed for prevention and intervention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders (FASD). It was during this time that she discovered her “inner nerd” and love for data and database
management, data analysis and programming. Before discovering her “inner nerd” she held a position at the Mount
Sinai School of Medicine, working on research projects that investigated the effects of medications for the treatment of
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD).
Education
? B.S., Psychology | Union College
? M.A., Psychology | The New School for Social Research
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Appendix D: Budget Detail
Budget Detail: The budget related to this project has two main components: fees related to services provided by
Parthenon and fees related to services provided by ERS.
Parthenon and ERS will begin work with the KCS in May (at a low level of intensity), as described in Criterion 1 in the
proposal. The work in May and J une will focus on activities such as launch of data requests, collection of data, and high
level validation of the quality of the data.
May-13 Jun-13 Jul-13 Aug-13 Sept-13 Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13
Jan-Oct
2014
Parthenon Team (Professional Fees and Expenses)
Seth Reynolds,
Partner
5% 5% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 15%
Kasia Lundy,
Senior Principal
10% 10% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 15%
Kate Stephens,
Principal
-- -- 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% --
Elizabeth Palmer,
Associate
-- -- -- 50% 50% 50% 50% -- --
Romy Drucker,
Summer Principal
-- 50% 100% 50% -- -- -- -- --
Daniel Lobo,
Summer Associate
-- 50% 100% 50% -- -- -- -- --
Discounted Monthly
Cost
$0K $0K $140K $168K $168K $168K $168K $140K $0K
Total Parthenon
Staffing Fees and
Expenses
$0K $950K (J uly-Dec)
Subcontracting Fees
ERS Services $0K $250K (J uly-Oct)
Total Fees
Parthenon and ERS $0K $1.2 million
The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.2 million, inclusive of all professional fees and expenses:
• The level of professional fees/staffi ng resources is dictated by the detailed scope of activities described in our
response to Criterion 1. Given the intensive nature of this engagement, which includes planning, capacity
building, communications and implementation, Parthenon will have a consistent on the ground presence in Knox
on a regular basis. Directly allocated Partners, Case Team Leader, Principals and Associates will be in Knox on
a weekly basis. In addition, Parthenon will leverage the broader experience of its Education Practice to support
the Knox team.
• Expenses relate to travel (airfare, ground transportation, lodging, and other travel-related expenses), primary
and secondary research, printing and other administrative expenses incurred, and charges related to telecom
and internet. Expenses will also cover sessions with Dr. Marguerite Roza, Senior Advisor. Parthenon will
invoice for the total professional fees and expenses in a flat fee. Parthenon assumes the risk for any overages in
expenses.
Appendix E: Memorandum of Understanding and Letters of Support
• Signed Memorandum of Understanding
• Letter of support from the Great Schools Partnership
• Letter of support from the Knox County Council PTA
• Letter of support from the Knoxville Chamber
• Letter of support from the Tennessee SCORE – State Collaborative on
Reforming Education
doc_245933793.pdf
Within this detailed elucidation with regards to the kcs discussed potential challenges to the success of this project.
Table of Contents
Appendix B: Potential Challenges
Appendix C: Team Member Qualifications
Appendix D: Budget Detail
Appendix E: Memorandum of Understanding and Letters of Support
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
Appendix B: Potential Challenges
The KCS discussed potential challenges to the success of this project and grouped them into three broad categories:
(1) Bandwidth, (2) Change Management, and (3) Implementation Risk.
(1) Bandwidth
Challenge: The ability of KCS staff, especially senior leadership, to devote the time that is needed to execute the
resource allocation work on an ongoing basis:
? Time to conduct resource mapping
? Time to conduct rigorous analysis
How the Challenge will be Addressed:
In the short term:
? Resource Mapping and Analysis: The KCS will overcome the issue of resource mapping and analytical
bandwidth through outside partners (Parthenon and ERS). Most of the work will be a one-time intensive effort,
but the KCS and Parthenon will also assess workload associated with ongoing resource allocation activities;
this will feed into the potential organizational changes described below.
In the medium to longer term:
? Process Improvements: The KCS, with help from Parthenon and ERS, will make improvements to existing
planning and budgetary processes to ensure that resource allocation questions, related evaluations and
decisions are explicitly part of the process(es).
? Potential Organizational Changes: The KCS and Parthenon may also determine, over the course of the
project, that certain roles/responsibilities may need to be re-allocated internally within the central office, or that
new positions may need to be created. This will all be part of the initial organizational review referenced in the
Capacity Building section of the proposal and will be captured in the August 30
th
Capacity Building Plan.
(2) Change Management
Challenge: The inclusive nature of the strategic planning process and the resource allocation initiative means that there
will be multiple demands on district leadership and partner time. It will be important to make the time not only to conduct
the analysis, create a solid factbase, understand the implications, and develop action plans, but also to create a genuine
dialog around the initial findings and recommendations. The analyses may well lead to recommendations that are not
universally accepted by stakeholders.
How the Challenge will be Addressed:
? Creating Stakeholder Engagement Capacity: The KCS has created a temporary position (Director of Strategic
Planning) and has already filled this position with an Ed.L.D. resident who will be dedicated full-time to
coordinating the strategic planning effort on behalf of the district. In May-July 2013, the KCS senior leadership
team will come together, as they did for the 2008 CORRE report and for the 2009 strategic plan, to create an
intentional mapping of internal district facilitators against stakeholder meetings and focus groups. The KCS
will also turn to strong external partners (Great Schools Partnership and the Knoxville Chamber) for help with
facilitating meetings, especially meetings with the business community, to augment the capacity of the district.
? Grounding Discussions in Facts: The KCS will work closely with its partners, Parthenon and ERS, to develop a
factbase of critical information on each major resource allocation topic. The goal will be to create a common
understanding of the facts among stakeholders, and to have all discussions be informed and driven by data, to
the extent possible.
(3) Implementation Risk
Challenge: The nature of the challenge is two-fold. First, once the KCS and Parthenon jointly design an improved
process, the district will need to implement it gradually and guard against other priorities or “fire drills” displacing this
priority. Second, the KCS is committing to making resource allocations from one area to another as early as in the 2014-
15 budget development cycle and therefore actual execution steps will occur as early as summer of 2014. There is
always a risk that in the transition period, actions taken to change an instructional model, for example, may have an
adverse impact on students and student achievement, if not carried out well.
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
How the Challenge will be Addressed:
? Accountability: The KCS will assign primary responsibility for the overarching continuous improvement process
to a specific functional area which will act as the “owner” or “coordinator.” Which group / individuals will drive
the process(es) going forward will be determined as part of the project. Once the roles of senior district
leadership in this process are better defined, they too will be become part of an accountability system (i.e.,
become part of “management objectives” against which performance is evaluated annually).
? Implementation Planning that Involved the “Implementers”: The KCS has set a strong model and precedent
with its strategic planning process. The process did not just culminate in the creation of a strategic plan, it was
quickly followed by an inclusive process to develop an implementation roadmap for the strategic plan, with
clear milestones and owners. The KCS will do the same here. Once the strategic plan priorities are set and
the resource allocation decisions are vetted and approved by the Board, the district will commence an
additional stakeholder engagement process to develop the implementation roadmap. By including those who
are closest to the students in these implementation discussions, the KCS will ensure that strong transition
plans are developed so that any potential negative impacts on students and their families are minimized.
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Appendix C: Team Member Qualifications (Partners)
PARTHENON TEAM
? Seth Reynolds, Partner
? Kasia Lundy, Senior Principal
? Kate Stephens, Principal
? Elizabeth Palmer, Associate
? Romy Drucker, Summer Principal
? Daniel Lobo, Summer Associate
PARTHENON ADVISORS
? Tammy Battaglino, Senior Partner
? Haven Ladd, Partner
? Eleanor Laurans, Senior Principal
? Margot Rogers, Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor
? Phil Vaccaro, Senior Principal
ERS TEAM
? Stephen Frank, Partner
? Kristen Ferris, Manager
? Joseph Trawick-Smith, Principal Associate
? Laura Schick, Associate
? Jenny Davidow, Data Analyst
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Seth Reynolds, Partner
Overall Qualifications
? Thirteen years of experience advising senior level clients in K12 districts, higher education institutions, charitable
foundations and for-profit companies, focusing on organizational strategy, project and performance management, and
organizational design
? Leader in Parthenon’s Education Practice, focusing on engagements that have spanned all sectors of the education
system (districts, higher education, states, etc.).
? Former Teach For America corps member (bilingual 5
th
grade Spanish/English teacher)
? As a founding member of the Board of Trustees of the Excel Academy Charter School, served the school through the
transition from its early start-up phase to becoming one of the top 5% of middle schools in Massachusetts since 2007
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management and human capital reform experience:
? In 2009, partnered with Memphis City Schools (MCS) to support district leadership in developing their winning
proposal to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to implement Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives. Collaborated
with district, board and union leadership to develop high level vision for MCS Teacher Effectiveness Initiative and
detailed proposal and plan for how to implement. Plan encompassed key human capital reforms (overhaul of
teacher evaluation system; development of increased pipeline of talent; more rigorous tenure review process;
differentiated retention practices; selection and utilization of master-level teachers, and compensation tied to
career ladder and performance. Developed detailed implementation budget and roadmap, key operational
milestones and performance targets to support the plan. MCS was selected as one of four sites for ongoing
Intensive Partnership
? In 2010-11, continued the Teacher Effectiveness work in Memphis City Schools. Oversaw Parthenon’s
project management efforts to support MCS in implementing the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative (TEI). The
initiative has since been implemented district-wide.
? In 2012-13, partnered with both Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools to develop a joint
strategy for the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative for the soon-to-be merged district and managed team to support
implementation through extremely complex merger (currently ongoing).
? Served as co-lead in supporting the State of Florida in developing its Race to the Top application and
associated assurance plans. Supported State leadership to develop comprehensive plan addressing all RTT
assurances. Facilitated multiple sessions to solicit input from Florida’s district superintendents. Florida was
announced as one of ten winners in the second round of the RTT competition.
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics and turnaround strategies:
? Led team to support Mass Insight Education to analyze how the Turnaround Challenge frameworks have been
utilized in the turnaround work of several leading urban school districts and CMOs nationwide. Through interviews
with school districts, partner organizations and national experts, built an understanding of the disparate turnaround
efforts at several leading districts: New York City; Chicago; Boston; Miami; Charlotte. Developed
recommendations on district approaches to turnaround, including the importance of the necessary conditions for
successful change and the potential cost of implementing these changes. Detailed steps for the acceleration of a
marketplace for partner organizations capable of providing turnaround services at scale. Presented findings at the
American Enterprise Institute Conference focused on national models of school turnaround.
? Personalized learning experience:
? Led the team that supported founder J oel Rose to develop and begin implementation of the business plan
for School of One, the NYC DOE’s first major pilot in significantly personalized learning. In this work, Mr.
Reynolds developed short and long-term implementation plans to ensure success against the goals of the project,
developed organizational and financial models to execute against the plan, and supported the DOE with initial
program design, early implementation and launch of the initial pilot. Ultimately, the initial School of One pilot was
successfully launched in Summer 2009 with extremely high achievement and student/parent satisfaction, and was
named one of the Top 50 Inventions of 2009 by TIME Magazine.
Education
? M.B.A, MIT Sloan, Boston, MA
? M.P.A, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
? B.A., Amherst College, Amherst, MA
? Founding member of the Board of Trustees of Excel Academy, a charter middle school in East Boston
References
? Dr. Kriner Cash, former Superintendent, Memphis City Schools
? Joel Rose, Founder and CEO, New Classrooms (and founder of School of One)
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
3 | P a g e
Kasia Lundy, Senior Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Over ten years of management consulting experience
? Six years of project management and operational experience in higher education, overseeing administrative departments
and as Chief of Staff to Presidents Summers, Bok and Faust. Proven track record in operations and staff management,
developing and managing budgets, and streamlining operations
? Full-time member of Parthenon’s Education Practice. Case team leader. Focused exclusively on education
engagements that span work at all levels of the education system (school networks, districts, states and federal
government). Has also led strategic planning engagements for a variety of education clients including nonprofit higher
education institutions, foundations, membership organizations, and community-based organizations.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Supported the State of Georgia in developing its Race to the Top application. Worked with multiple constituents
including educators (superintendents, principals and teachers); Georgia Department of Education, Department of
Early Care and Learning; Professional Standards Commission; University System of Georgia; Technical College
System of Georgia; Georgia Student Finance Commission; and Governor’s Office of Student Achievement).
Facilitated meetings of these stakeholders to vet recommendations and develop final plan. Georgia was
announced as a winner in the second round of the RTT competition.
? Partnered with Milwaukee Public Schools in developing the district’s Race to the Top – District application.
Facilitated stakeholder engagement (district staff, principals, teachers, parents, and students) in developing the
plan. Led a team that developed specific personalized learning recommendations and related cost estimates,
vetted recommendations with the Project Steering Committee, and co-wrote final application.
? Co-led effort to develop a school portfolio strategy for Chicago Public Schools: Working closely with the
Steering Committee (district leadership and board of education representation), assessed how well students were
currently served in regional collaboratives and networks, “negotiated” the role and responsibilities of a new
Portfolio Office vis-à-vis other key functions in the district, combined several distinct functions under the Portfolio
Office umbrella, benchmarked against other portfolio offices nationally to develop organizational/staffing recom-
mendations, vetted recommendations with leadership, and developed job descriptions for key roles in the office.
? Strategic human capital initiatives:
? Partnered with Omaha Public Schools (OPS), one of the districts selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation to submit proposals for developing and implementing Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives. Working
closely with district, union and board of education leadership, helped develop a comprehensive approach to talent
management, at the teacher level and principal level. Assisted district leadership with developing a detailed
implementation budget and roadmap, key operational milestones and performance targets. OPS was selected as
one of five finalists eligible to receive funding to implement Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives (TEI).
? Partnered with the Houston Independent School District (HISD) to design a new performance-based
compensation plan for classroom teachers. The design involved replacing the step and lane system with a system
where compensation levels and increases were driven by consistent performance over time (as defined by the
teacher’s overall evaluation ratings, which included student growth).
? Capacity assessment and capacity building experience:
? Partnered with the Council of the Great City Schools to lead a strategic planning effort to assess member
district perceptions of the organization, interest in new products and services, and the Council’s current capacity to
execute against member district needs. Developed a succession plan and a capacity building plan for the Council,
including addition of staff and development of new processes in specific areas. The plan was accepted by the
Council’s Executive Committee.
? Partnered with the J im J oseph Foundation to assess implementation capacity of higher education grantees.
Worked closely with the foundation and the grantees to conduct an assessment of management capacity at the
grantee level and recommended organizational changes to optimize implementation approach
? Partnered with the US Department of Education to develop a plan for strengthening the Department’s use of
program data and evaluation for budget, policy and program improvement. Working closely with senior leadership,
helped create a framework for a decision-making process to determine the evaluation activities that should be
given priority in a given planning cycle. Helped clarify the roles and responsibilities of the two organizations
responsible for carrying out evaluation activities
Education
? M.B.A, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA
? B.A. in Economics, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
References
? Dr. John Mackiel, former Superintendent, Omaha Public Schools
? Michael Casserly, Executive Director, Council of the Great City Schools
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
4 | P a g e
Kate Stephens, Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Active member of Parthenon’s Education Practice, with a focus on large urban K12 districts and education-focused
philanthropies
? Additional experience includes efforts with clients in the international K12 and US higher education sectors
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Supported the design of a long-term internal strategy for the Department of Portfolio Planning (DPP) at the
NYC Department of Education. Interviewed key stakeholders across various NYC DOE departments that impact
or are impacted by DPP actions to determine inefficiencies in the current system; developed an 18-month plan to
ensure that the DPP accomplishes the key goals they have established for themselves prior to the 2014 change in
city government; identified and prioritized key actions critical to ensuring the longevity of current reforms.
? Supported the University System of Florida in developing a new polytechnic institution focused on increasing
the number of STEM graduates in the state of Florida while meeting the stated needs of the region’s employers
and industries. Surveyed industry stakeholders to assess specific needs; evaluated universities to determine how
graduates are prepared for the workforce today and what partnerships with industry exist; and analyzed historical
and current data (and future projections) on STEM graduates, degrees and programs.
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics:
? Worked with Newark Public Schools to design school performance reports. Early on, such reports were needed
to support targeted improvement strategies with schools. Looking ahead, the reports will form the basis of the
district’s accountability and performance management system. Tasks ranged from the collection of data and the
design, development and creation of the reports, to the training of school leaders in use of the reports and the
facilitation of stakeholder engagement sessions to improve report design. Ongoing work involves the development
of a long-term portfolio strategy for Newark’s schools.
? Supported coordination across district and charters schools in Newark, NJ to enable the scaling of city-wide
school performance reports. Worked with multiple education entities in the city including Newark Public Schools,
Newark Charter School Fund, and the Foundation for Newark’s Future to coordinate the design, development and
release of reports to key stake holders. Facilitated meetings with these stakeholders; developed training programs
for various users; incorporated stakeholder feedback; and created a long-term plan for annual issuance of these
reports.
? Personalized learning experience:
? Supported the Gates Foundation Next Generation Learning team in articulating the portfolio’s investment
strategy, which focuses on developing school models and tools which enable improved outcomes through
personalized learning, and which also seeks to lower environmental barriers that are currently obstacles to the
broader adoption of personalized learning. Constructed an impact model to explore where and how such
investments would benefit the personalized learning space most significantly.
? Other relevant experiences:
? Supported the development and design of a new teacher preparation program in partnership with the
Woodrow Wilson Foundation. Researched existing teacher preparation programs and efficacy gaps; identified
potential partners for financial or academic support; and modeled costs of the various school models proposed
from start-up to steady state.
Education
? B.A. with Honors in Art History and Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA
References
? Brad Haggerty, Assistant Superintendent, Newark Public Schools
? Paymon Rouhanifard, Chief Strategy Officer, Newark Public Schools (formerly with the Department of Portfolio Planning
at the NYC Department of Education)
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
5 | P a g e
Elizabeth Palmer, Associate
Overall Qualifications
? Full-time member of Parthenon’s Education Practice. Has worked with leading national foundations and K12 public
school districts. Engagements have focused on developing effective private-public partnerships, teacher quality,
personalized learning and performance management through effective school evaluation.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Partnered with Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools to implement a comprehensive human
capital strategy prior to the districts’ consolidation in July 2013. Facilitated collaboration across Teacher and
Leader Evaluation, Professional Development, Recruitment and Staffing and Strategic Compensation
functions as outlined in the joint proposal to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation requesting additional grant
support to carry forward the work of the MCS Teacher Effectiveness Initiative. Worked closely with staff to
oversee development of the human capital budget and execution of several pilots and other stakeholder
engagement efforts. Detailed planning for the newly designed Talent Management Office of the unified school
system is underway.
? District and school-level performance diagnostics:
? Partnered with Newark Public Schools and Newark charter schools to develop a summative data
dashboard to be used as a district-level accountability tool, for annual school-level goal setting, and eventually
for parent communication and engagement. Coordinated with state, district and charter data teams to build a
comprehensive student level dataset and establish processes for future collaboration to improve quality and
completeness of available information. Supported NPS senior leadership in developing a communication
strategy around school performance in Newark, including both district and charter schools.
? Other relevant experiences:
? Financial Analysis / Budgeting: Partnered with the Rodel Foundation of Delaware to assess the
programmatic impact and sustainability outcomes of over five years of grantmaking activity. Interviewed key
stakeholders and staff at grantee organizations to develop strategy for improved partnerships. Developed
comprehensive view of Rodel’s current financial and non-financial resource allocation to support strategic
planning efforts. Modeled financial scenarios designed to achieve alignment of resource allocation to strategic
vision.
? Survey Experience: Partnered with Knovel (web-based application for technical engineering reference
information) to identify market sub-segments based on customer needs. Designed and executed survey of
two largest markets to assess user satisfaction, feature-use, content consumption, and remaining pain points.
Performed clustering analysis to determine attributes of functionally defined user groups to inform innovative
product packaging and development of targeted features.
Education
? B.A. in Economics, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
References
? Asha Banker, Executive Director, Data & Policy, Newark Public Schools
? Laura Link, Assistant Superintendent, Teaching, Learning & Professional Development, Shelby County
Schools
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
6 | P a g e
Romy Drucker, Summer Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Six years of direct experience in a school district setting (NYC Department of Education)
Specific Roles
? Chief of Staff to Deputy Chancellor of Portfolio Planning:
? Working closely with the deputy Chancellor, helped manage the NYC DOE division responsible for planning
and executing New York City’s Portfolio strategy, which impacts 1.1 million students and 1,700+ schools. Led
cross-functional projects across the Division’s seven teams. Directed all Divisional internal and external
communications and engagement (with principals, parents, partners, press, and politicians).
? Director of Strategy and Communications in the Office of the COO:
? Led strategic initiatives and special projects to promote alignment across the organization (e.g., coordinated
successful NYC DOE federal Race to the Top grant application). Helped organize the NYC DOE’s strategic
planning process for Mayor Bloomberg’s third term.
? Special Assistant to the Chancellor:
? Supported Chancellor Klein’s reform agenda by managing strategic operations and priority projects.
Partnered with Deputy Chancellors and senior staff to problem solve, facilitate objectives, and ensure
progress toward key targets.
? Special Assistant to the CEO, Office of Strategic Partnerships/The Fund for Public Schools, Inc.
? Coordinated work with City Hall, Chancellor’s Office, prospective donors, current funders, and Fund Board of
Directors. Helped raise $70 million in FY08-FY10.
Education
? M.B.A. Candidate, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA
? B.A. in Literature and Spanish, Yale College, New Haven, CT
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
7 | P a g e
Daniel Lobo, Summer Associate
Overall
? B.A. Candidate in Social Studies, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA.
Education-Related Experience
? Teaching Intern in the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program:
? Completed over 500 hours of instructional/observational time during practicum at the John D. O’Bryant School
of Mathematics and Science in Boston, while enrolled in three college courses. Planned and taught an
engaging five week unit on English colonization.
? Anticipated Initial Level Secondary Education Teaching License in History.
? Intern at the Fullbridge Program in Cambridge:
? The program prepares motivated college and university students and graduates to successfully transition
between traditional education and the complex demands of the modern workplace.
? Helped develop the company’s four-week business education program.
? Co-President of Students for Education Reform at Harvard:
? Maintains working relationships with state and local education legislators and advocates, and organizes
annual college visits with promising schools/programs. Organized annual two-day winter session event, “Ed
Reform 101: Turning Passion Into Action.”
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
8 | P a g e
Tamara Butler Battaglino, Senior Partner, Co-Head of the Public Education Practice
Overall Qualifications
? Co-founded and co-leads Parthenon's Education Center of Excellence
? Over fifteen years of management experience focused on education sectors
? Proven track record of strategy development, performance management and operational excellence, and new venture
creation. Clients span the K12, higher education, and corporate training markets across a wide range of organizations that
include: start-ups, Fortune 100 companies, federal, state and local government agencies, school networks and reform
organizations, and a number of the world's largest philanthropic foundations focused on education improvements and
reform
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Driver of Parthenon’s collective efforts to support six states and the District of Columbia in the development
of Race to the Top applications. Lead partner responsible for GA, NY and DC RTT applications. Helped establish
and lead a highly collaborative process, engaging stakeholders across agencies, state, local, site level, university
partners, associations, professional organizations, foundations, corporations, etc. All Parthenon partner states were
selected as finalists for RTT interviews (CA, CO, DC, GA, FL, NY, and OH). Five of seven partner states awarded
RTT grants (DC, GS, FL, NY, and OH)
? Lead partner for Teacher and Leader Effectiveness / Human Capital Strategies in Education. Oversaw both
Parthenon efforts with district partners selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to submit proposals for
developing and implementing Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives (Memphis City Schools and Omaha Public Schools).
Worked closely with district, union and board of education leadership to help develop a comprehensive approach to
talent management, at the teacher level and principal level. Both districts were selected among a group of five
finalists eligible to receive funding to implement Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives (TEI). Involved in ongoing
implementation of strategic plan in Memphis.
? Lead partner to support NY State Education Department in developing strategy and associated implementation
plan for statewide longitudinal P16 data system.
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics and turnaround strategies:
? Led ground-breaking engagement with the NYC Department of Education Office of Multiple Pathways to
Graduation. Developed comprehensive student population fact-base and segmentation based on size,
characteristics, and trajectory of NYC’s overage and under-credited students though the city’s secondary system and
corresponding portfolio programs. Worked with NYC DOE team to identify potential strategies to improve the system
graduation rate and articulate key internal and external requirements for success. Projected effects of planned
investments and assessed “cost per point” of system-wide graduation rate increase
? Partnered with Boston Public Schools on Graduation Pathways. Developed a comprehensive fact-base to
inform strategic planning in BPS high schools. Identified four key segments of at-risk students, which together
account for 74% of all eventual drop-outs and are identifiable no later than the end of a student’s first year of high
school. Created a detailed plan to expand and improve BPS’ education options for off-track students, with specific
recommendations for: 1) Staffing models and partnerships with outside providers / CBO’s, 2) Youth development
and curriculum planning, 3) Financial allocations, and 4) District oversight supports.
? Co-authored chapter with J oEllen Lynch in the American Enterprise Institute Volume, More Than Just
Schools: Rethinking the Demand for Educational Entrepreneurship. Paper explores how districts can employ
strategic approaches to develop a comprehensive portfolio of schools that best addresses the needs of all students,
with a focus on historically under-served populations. It identifies the core components for effective school models,
resource requirements, and the relative return on investment based upon student outcomes to ensure the most
effective allocation of its resources to areas of greatest need.
? Personalized learning experience:
? Co-authored papers on Next Generation Learning in partnership with the Carnegie Corporation of New York, The
Opportunity Equation and Stupski Foundation: Next Generation Learning – Defining the Opportunity and Next
Generation Learning – Scaling the Opportunity
? “The Costs of Online Learning”: Co-authored a chapter in Fordham Institute's volume, Education Reform for the
Digital Era, summarizing the firm’s research on the strategic and financial considerations in different school models.
http://www.edexcellence.net/publications/education-reform-for-the-digital-era.html
? Partnered with the Gates Foundation to develop its strategy to support and accelerate the adoption of high
performing and whole-school personalized learning models. The project included extensive interviews with thought
leaders and entrepreneurs in the space, as well as a survey of administrators. The resulting research will shortly be
published in a white paper co-authored with the Foundation team and entitled, The ship is sailing: Momentum builds
for the use of blended instruction to personalize K12 education.
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
9 | P a g e
? Resource Allocation and School Finance Reform:
? Partnered with the Gates Foundation in supporting development of the strategy for its new investment portfolio
targeted at improving the resource allocation strategies of school districts and postsecondary institutions. The work
included a comprehensive fact-base of resources in the postsecondary space, as well as strategic planning for the
work to support K12 and postsecondary decision-makers.
? Led NYC Department of Education New Small Schools Fiscal Analysis. Conducted analysis of public and
private investment in New Small Schools in NYC provided an opportunity to help inform the field about the financial
implications of raising system performance in large urban districts. Informed potential future intermediary business
planning requirements (including strategic and sustainability requirements). Provided evidence of success among
new small schools working with traditionally under-served populations
Education and Board Affiliations
? M.B.A, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA
? M.Ed., Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA
? B.A. in Economics, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
? Board Member for International Network of Public Schools in NYC
References
? Lillian Lowery, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools
? Joel Klein, News Corp
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
10 | P a g e
Haven Ladd, Partner
Overall Qualifications
? Fifteen years of management consulting experience
? Ten years of dedicated consulting work in the education industry, primarily focused on K-12 districts and higher education
institutions
? Leader of Parthenon’s Education practice. Led district projects with Chicago Public Schools, Boston Public Schools,
Newark Public Schools, Detroit Public Schools, and Houston Independent School District. Project work focused on
district improvement, re-design, financial management, accountability, and student outcomes
? Client experience with federal and state policy makers, including U.S. Ed, Michigan Department of Education, and New
Jersey Department of Education
? Led numerous projects with education-oriented foundations, including The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Michael
and Susan Dell Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, and others
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? In 2008-2012, partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to support district leadership developing and
implementing strategies to improve graduation rates for at-risk students. Identified risk factors, assessed current
performance of at-risk youth, analyzed program and school model effectiveness, and developed economic impact
of scaling. Managed change management and implementation process of recommendations
? In 2011, developed “Excellent Schools Detroit”. Working with a broad set of stakeholders in Detroit, assessed
educational needs and gaps in the current system, and developed and designed an independent 501(c)3 to
manage accountability, human capital development, and school recruitment in Detroit. Developed budget, hiring
plan, and governance model.
? Led team to support Boston Public Schools in increasing data use and analytic capacity across the district.
Analyzed current data usage at school and district levels. Made organizational and process recommendations to
develop substantially greater capacity in data capture, analysis, and use across the district. Continue to be
involved in ongoing efforts to change the management style of central office and schools.
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics and turnaround strategies:
? Led team with the Chicago Public Schools to develop a strategy to increase graduation rates. Conducted in-
depth analysis of student performance data, to better understand the differences between students who ultimately
graduated versus dropped out of high school. Analyzed the performance of high schools and various school
programs to identify pockets of success. Working closely with the district, developed a multi-year strategy to open
new schools and grow programs to increase graduation rates. Developed detailed implementation plans, including
financial needs, graduation rate impact by year, and action plans.
? Led team at Newark Public Schools to design school performance reports. Early on, such reports were needed
to assess the state of the district’s schools to prioritize school actions and resource allocation, while in the future,
the reports will form the basis of the district’s accountability and performance management system. Activities
ranged from the collection of data and the design, development and creation of the reports, to the training of
school leaders in use of the reports and the facilitation of stakeholder engagement sessions to improve report
design. Ongoing work involves the development of a long-term portfolio strategy for Newark’s schools.
? In 2012, designed and implemented Educational Achievement Authority in Michigan to take over and turn
around persistently low achieving schools in the state, with a focus on Detroit. Managed large stakeholder
engagement process, oversaw legal team to develop innovative joint authority between Detroit Public Schools and
Eastern Michigan University, and developed change management plan.
? Personalized learning experience:
? Led the team to support development of e-learn innovation Hub in Chicago. Identified hurdles to innovation
and implementation of blended learning strategies in Chicago. Designed school-based pilot labs to test products
in alpha and beta stages of development. Developed support mechanism to ensure long-term sustainability of
innovations. The e-learn innovation hub concept will be rolled out in Fall 2013
Education
? M.B.A, Tuck School of Business, Hanover, NH; Graduate with distinction and was named a Tuck Scholar
? B.A. in History and Literature, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA; cum laude
References
? Ron Huberman, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools
? Tonya Allen, Skillman Foundation
? Beth Swanson, Deputy Chief of Staff for Education, City of Chicago
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
11 | P a g e
Eleanor Laurans, Senior Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Experience in both consulting and education administration, with ten years of management consulting
? Experience at the NYC Department of Education as a special assistant to the Chancellor’s Chief of Staff. Helped
manage and support special projects and cross-functional teams
? Member of Parthenon’s Education Practice. Focused exclusively on education engagements across public, non-profit
and for-profit clients. Experience includes public school districts (Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Omaha
Public Schools), national foundations (The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York,
and the Stupski Foundation), and international for-profit education publishing and higher education organizations.
Case team leader.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Change management experience:
? Partnered with Omaha Public Schools, one of the districts selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to
submit proposals for developing and implementing Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives:. Working closely with
district, union and board of education leadership, helped develop a comprehensive approach to talent
management, at the teacher level and principal level. Plan included core talent management elements such
as: pipeline development; creation of fair, rigorous and transparent evaluation systems with student growth as
a substantial component; promotion and retention practices; and compensation tied to performance. Also
assisted district with developing a detailed implementation budget and roadmap, key operational milestones
and performance targets. District was selected as one of five finalists eligible to receive funding to implement
Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives (TEI)
? District, school and student level performance diagnostics and turnaround strategies:
? Partnered with the Chicago Public Schools to develop a strategy to increase graduation rates. Conducted in-
depth analysis of student performance data, to better understand the differences between students who
ultimately graduated versus dropped out of high school. Analyzed the performance of high schools and
various school programs to identify pockets of success. Working closely with the district, developed a multi-
year strategy to open new schools and grow programs to increase graduation rates. Developed detailed
implementation plans, including financial needs, graduation rate impact by year, and action plans.
? Partnered with the Chicago Public Schools to implement credit recovery programs targeted at off-track
freshmen. Analyzed results of existing schools and programs; assessed existing resources, including people,
processes, technology and money; conducted focus groups with principals to solicit input in program design;
worked closely with district personnel to design the specific criteria for the new program, including entry
requirements for students, student teacher ratios, financial plans, and human capital (including teacher
recruitment to the program).
? Personalized learning experience:
? Partnered with the Gates Foundation to develop its strategy to support and accelerate the adoption of high
performing and whole-school personalized learning models. The project included extensive interviews with
thought leaders and entrepreneurs in the space, as well as a survey of administrators. The resulting research
will shortly be published in a white paper co-authored with the Foundation team and entitled, The ship is
sailing: Momentum builds for the use of blended instruction to personalize K12 education.
? Resource Allocation and School Finance Reform:
? “The Costs of Online Learning”: Co-authored a chapter in Fordham Institute's volume, Education Reform for
the Digital Era, summarizing the firm’s research on the strategic and financial considerations in different
school models. http://www.edexcellence.net/publications/education-reform-for-the-digital-era.html
? Partnered with the Gates Foundation in supporting development of the strategy for its new investment portfolio
targeted at improving the resource allocation strategies of school districts and postsecondary institutions. The
work included a comprehensive factbase of resources in the postsecondary space, as well as strategic
planning for the work to support K12 and postsecondary decision-makers.
Education
? M.B.A, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA; High Distinction Baker Scholar award
? B.A. in Economics, Yale University, New Haven, CT; honors in Economics
References
? Stacey Childress, Deputy Director, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
? Stefanie Sanford, Chief of Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations, the College Board
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
12 | P a g e
Margot Rogers, Vice-Chairman and Senior Advisor
Overall Qualifications
? Over twenty years of experience in K-12 education program and policy work across the non-profit, philanthropic,
government, and consulting sectors, including significant work on federal and state education policy (both legislative and
regulatory), the development and implementation of organizational strategy, and management of large-scale change
efforts.
? For the past two years, Vice-Chairman and Senior Advisor to Parthenon’s education team, largely focused on K-12 public
education.
? Experience solving complex problems from a variety of perspectives: an attorney working with parents/schools/districts, a
funder (staff and board member), the Chief of Staff at a 4200 person federal agency (U.S. Department of Education), a
management consultant
? Served on multiple boards (currently on the Joyce Foundation Board of Directors and the review panels for the Broad
Prize for Urban School Reform and the Broad Prize for Public Charter Schools). Varied local education experience,
including (for example): Vice-Chair, Superintendent’s Advisory Committee on Instruction, Member, Professional
Development Task Force, and Member, STEM Advisory Committee (all in the Arlington Public Schools in Arlington,
Virginia)
Specific Education-Related Experience
? Human Capital/Talent Development:
? As Chief of Staff at the US Department of Education, responsible for hiring team of 150 political appointees and
developing the talent pipeline. With Deputy Secretary, implemented new system of Human Capital reviews
across the agency, focusing on identifying talent, differentiating performance and strategic pipeline development,
particularly for managers.
? Federal Policy:
? As a public sector attorney, focused on Title I, IDEA and other federal programs, with a particular emphasis on
interpretation of the statutes, regulations, and how they impacted implementation at the district level. Authored
“Planning for Title I Programs: Guidelines for Parents, Advocates and Educators”.
? Management:
? As Chief of Staff at the US Department of Education, worked closely with the Deputy Secretary to develop
systems to support both existing work (implementation of federal programs) with new work (implementation of the
Recovery Act, new competitive programs, and direct student lending)
? As Chief of Staff at the US Department of Education, day to day management responsibility for seven offices with
~ 150 employees. General responsibility for ensuring the effectiveness of the 4200 person agency.
? As a Deputy Director of the College-Ready team at the Gates Foundation, managed and developed teams of
program officers working in the Midwest and Southeast. Oversaw the management of a ~$200 million portfolio.
? At Parthenon, serve as an advisor across a variety of engagements, providing guidance based on practical, multi-
sector experience. Specific projects include (for example):
? Bechtel Foundation (Common Core Math implementation)
? State of Delaware (Early Learning Challenge)
? Council of Great City Schools (Capacity Assessment and Capacity Building)
Education
? J.D., University of Virginia
? M.A. (American History), University of Virginia
? Coursework (graduate history program), Rotary International Fellow, University of Toronto
? B.A. (History), Emory University
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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Phil Vaccaro, Senior Principal
Overall Qualifications
? Experience in both consulting and education administration, with ten years of management consulting
? Experience at the NYC Department of Education as the Executive Director of School Performance; led many of the
school accountability reforms as part of Joel Klein’s Children First Initiatives
? Member of Parthenon’s Education Practice. Focused exclusively on education engagements across public and non-
profit clients. Experience includes public school districts (Newark, Chicago, Memphis, and Detroit Public Schools),
State Education Agencies (Louisiana, Michigan), and national foundations (The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the
Broad Foundation). Case team leader.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Human capital strategies and change management
? Partnered with Memphis City Schools, one of the districts selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to
develop and implement Teacher Effectiveness strategies, to institutionalize its human capital reforms,
particularly as it navigates its ongoing merger with Shelby County Schools; the work has focused on four key
areas: evaluations, professional development, staffing and recruitment, and strategic compensation; led cross-
district teams to align and augment human capital reforms, including supporting the development of new
Board policies around teacher evaluation as well as school staffing based on mutual consent
? Partnered with The Gates Foundation to develop a market view of key products and services that support
teacher effectiveness work, including in areas such as value-added/growth analysis, student surveys,
observation tools, innovative professional development, and data systems
? School performance and portfolio management
? Partnered with the Chicago Public Schools to develop a new portfolio office that oversees student enrollment,
new school creation, charter schools, and school actions (e.g., closures and turnarounds); led the school
action process for the district in 2011-12 that resulted in 20 school actions aimed at improving the quality of
educational opportunities for students, particularly in high need areas; performed a program analysis of the
100+ academic programs in Chicago schools to understand which programs were generating the highest
return on investment for the district with the goal of identifying and replicating the highest ROI programs and
exiting the lowest ROI programs.
? Partnered with Newark Public Schools to lead the implementation of a new performance management system
starting from the design and production of school data dashboards for district and charter schools; led a
comprehensive stakeholder engagement process across the district, charter schools, and local foundations to
build buy-in for the reports as well as created a parent-friendly version that is being released this spring; led a
second effort to refine these dashboards to better assess measures of student need and integrate additional
measures of college and career readiness; trained assistant superintendents, school principals, and data
analysts on how to use and interpret the reports; used the data generated in the analysis to support the
Superintendent in a presentation on the quality of public schools in the district that was used as a launching
point for key reform initiatives.
? Partnered with the State of Michigan, Detroit Public Schools, The Broad Foundation, and key Michigan/Detroit
stakeholders to establish the blueprint and business plan for the Education Achievement System, a new
statewide entity (akin to the Recovery School District) that assumed oversight and management for 15 Detroit
schools in the fall of 2012; the business plan outlined the mission for the organization, enrollment policies,
funding sources, and accountability plan; led stakeholder engagement sessions with over 50 local business
and community leaders.
? Education Technology
? Partnered with The Gates Foundation to help develop its technology strategy across College Ready and Post-
Secondary; work focused on several specific investment areas including new technologies, content and tools,
partnerships to drive demand, prototypes and early pilots, and data/analytics.
? Partnered with The Gates Foundation to perform a market study on digital content and courseware.
Education
? Master’s in Education, City College, New York, NY
? B.A. in Economics, Harvard University, Boston, MA; cum laude in Economics
References
? Cami Anderson, Superintendent, Newark Public Schools
? Laura Link, Chief Human Capital Officer, Shelby County Schools
Knox County Schools “Strategic Use of Resources” Proposal. Submitted April 26, 2013
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ERS TEAM
Stephen Frank, Partner
Overall Qualifications
? As a member of the ERS Leadership Team:
? Helps to decide and implement ERS business strategy
? Leads ERS Research and Methods and the data analytics team, making him responsible for the consistency
and analytic quality of ERS projects and comparative data sets.
? An original architect or idea generator for vital ERS tools, including the ERS dream tool and ERS’ CAPS cost
allocation software system, which helps ERS allocate district costs down to specific students.
? Oversees all ERS practice areas teams and leads the funding system practice area, providing knowledge and
content support to ERS project teams.
? Has over a dozen years of management consulting experience in the field of education, specializing in helping districts
(and states) measure current practices regarding school and district resource use and determining ways to reallocate
existing resources for improved student outcomes. His specific recent focus is to create a robust ROI metric that can be
used to help districts choose between transformational policy initiatives and to help create an order and sequence of
reforms that leads to system-wide transformation
? Heads ERS’s efforts to establish a new, state education agency centered practice, including the ongoing multi-year
RTTT funded project with the Georgia Department of Education.
? Coauthor with Karen Hawley Miles of The Strategic School, Corwin Press. And lead author of numerous ERS
publications and reports.
? Worked as advisor on TX-FAST and other select boards and commissions regarding use of data to measure and
improve efficiency of school resource use.
? Prior to coming to ERS, Stephen was a management consultant at Bain & Company in Dallas. He has also taught
education and public policy classes for institutions including the Broad Institute, New Leaders for New Schools,
Brigham Young University, and Duke University’s Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy. He is a recipient of the Jacob
Javits, James B. Duke and Robert S. Fulbright Fellowships.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Provide analysis and strategic advice and recommendations to district leaders regarding reallocation
priorities: Has led or co-led dozens of ERS resource mapping engagements including engagements with Los
Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC, Baltimore, Syracuse, Providence, Prince George’s County and elsewhere,
helping superintendents identify their top reallocation priorities and giving concrete recommendations for how they can
improve student performance with existing resources. Work with districts to create high-level implementation plans.
? Provide strategic advice to SEA regarding district support practices and resource use policies: Currently
leading ERS’s GA work, which includes providing strategic support to five GA districts, conducting an audit of GA
policies that impact resource use, analyzing how resources are used across the state (all LEAs), and crafting a set of
recommendations regarding policy and data collection practices to lead to improved resource use and an improved
strategy for providing support to LEAs in GA.
? Help districts design and implement compensation reform: Currently leading ERS compensation reform projects
in Fulton County and Marietta Georgia as well as a smaller design-only project in NYC. Helping districts design a
compensation schedule that will systematically shift and develop the workforce to improve student performance within
financial constraints. Includes comparative labor-market analysis of compensation, helping districts understand their
current value proposition for teachers and identifying areas where it might currently fall short, helping redesign
recruiting and hiring practices, modeling the cost and predicted student learning impact of various compensation
schedules, helping facilitate decision making around the various compensation options and helping to build consensus
and create implementation plans that lead to the adoption of a revised compensation schedule.
? Help districts implement per-pupil funding systems: Has led projects with school systems such as Baltimore and
Prince George’s County to revise their funding system for greater equity and transparency and to promote a more
strategic use of school-level resources. Acts as content advisor for all ERS projects regarding funding system redesign.
Education
? Ph.D., Fulbright Fellow, Javits Fellow, Duke Fellow | Duke University
? B.A., International Relations | Brigham Young University
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Kristen Ferris, Manager
Overall Qualifications
? Has worked as a project manager at ERS for three years, managing client relationships as well as multiple
workstreams of the analytic and implementation support engagements.
? Her work with partner districts has focused on broader resource mapping, analyzing district data to determine key
levers for transforming resource use. She is regarded as a leader at ERS in conducting this work for maximum client
impact.
? She also leads ERS’ strategic school design practice area, creating tools and materials that shape the way that ERS
works with schools and districts to organize school budgets, staffing plans, and schedules to support student
achievement.
? Prior to working at ERS, Kristen worked for Chicago Public schools as a project manager and the director of
accountability.
? Kristen also taught seventh grade in Chicago Public Schools as a Teach for America Corps Member.
? While in graduate school, she worked for Lighthouse Academies, a Charter Management Organization, designing an
organizational strategy to support strong data practices in schools.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Provide analysis and strategic advice and recommendations to district leaders regarding reallocation
priorities: Kristen has served as the primary project manager for strategic resource analysis projects with the DC
Public Schools and Duval County Schools in Florida, helping analyze data and create recommendations for aligning
resource use with district priorities in support of improved student outcomes. She has also led smaller analytic projects
with Elgin Illinois and elsewhere, providing strategic advice to superintendents regarding ways to improve the
effectiveness of their resource use. participated on project teams for numerous other districts.
? Oversee ERS Resource Mapping analysis: In 2013, she served as the project manager for the ERS data analytics
team in which roles she managed all ERS resource mapping projects, ensuring consistent quality and method. She
was also responsible for the development and training of all new and experienced associates working on these projects
as well as ensuring that these projects progressed smoothly and on-budget.
? Train school leaders in the development and implementation of strategic school designs: As School Design
Practice Head, Kristen has worked with principals and instructional superintendents in Denver, DC and with several
Charter Management Organizations to assess the organization of people, time and money and develop new schedules
and staffing plans to better match resources to student needs.
? Develop school accountability programs: At Chicago Public Schools’ Office of Research, Evaluation, and
Accountability, first as a Project Manager, and later as the Director of Accountability she managed the District’s
implementation of No Child Left Behind’s school accountability provisions and led the development of a new School
Performance Policy, and Student and Parent Surveys.
Education
? Master of Public Policy | University of California, Berkeley
? B.A., Philosophy, Politics and Economics | University of Pennsylvania
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Joseph Trawick-Smith, Principal Associate
Overall Qualifications
? In two years at ERS, has conducted core ERS resource mapping projects for over half a dozen different school
systems and has become a leader in managing core ERS resource mapping projects, with a particular strength in
process management, earning him a rapid promotion to principal associate.
? As a founding member of ERS’s consulting practice area team, has helped to create tools and processes to improve
the quality and impact of ERS engagements and to help track ERS impact over time. He has also helped develop core
elements of ERS’ five-year business strategy/.
? Prior to ERS, Joseph worked at Steeldeck NY, a full-scale event services company in Brooklyn, NY. While earning his
MBA, he worked with City Year Headquarters to help build strategic data infrastructure as part of a fellowship with
Education Pioneers. During this time he was also an active member of Net Impact and a founding member of the MBA
Oath at Babson College.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Perform District Resource Analysis: Joe has analyzed district resource use in DC, Newark, Marietta City, Fulton
County, Vidalia City, Treutlen County, Hall County and helped provide support to teams of associates analyzing
resource use in Prince George’s County, Cleveland and Austin.
? Develop State Resource Analysis and Data Reporting: Joe is currently analyzing resource use across all Georgia
LEAs as part of a broader project to help GA DOE understand opportunities and challenges with existing resource use
and state data practices. He also worked to inform GA’s forthcoming STAR accountability ratings by helping the GA
DOE develop a more robust way to allocate and measure dollars per pupil spent in GA schools.
? Provide analysis and strategic advice and recommendations to district leaders regarding reallocation
priorities: Has led ERS efforts to create and present recommendations regarding resource reallocation opportunities
in Fulton County.
Education
? MBA, Finance | Babson College, F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business
? B.A., Psychology & Visual Art | Drew University
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Laura Schick, Associate
Overall Qualifications
? In two years at ERS, Laura has worked on multiple projects helping districts analyze and better understand how their
resource allocations are aligned with their strategic goals.
? Her talent for data analysis has helped her fill a vital role on the ERS method team, converting research questions and
goals into specific calculations and data architectures that work across multiple districts and to resolve data and
method issues, promoting comparability across projects. She also serves on the funding system practice area team.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Perform District Resource Analysis: Laura has worked on several project teams, helping to quantify district
resource use patterns and opportunities, including Denver, Austin, and several GA districts.
? Analyze School Funding Systems: In Prince George’s County, she took on the lead analyst role, gathering,
collecting and processing data, creating metrics and reports, arranging client meetings, and ensuring the smooth
operation of the project, while helping to supervise and develop the capabilities of new team members.
? Data Modeling: Prior to joining ERS in early 2011, she worked as an Analyst at ICF International, modeling
greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector for the EPA to support environmental regulations.
Education
? B.A. | Wesleyan University
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Jenny Davidow, Data Analyst
Overall Qualifications
? In her first year at ERS, Jenny has worked on several resource mapping projects.
? She has also taken ownership of the ERS comparative dataset, ensuring that partner district data is clean, accurate
and standardized across all projects.
? She has developed an expertise at supporting the collection and processing of district financial, human resources, and
course schedule data.
Specific Project Roles (Examples)
? Maintain and manage comparative district database: Jenny’s primary assignments at ERS are to maintain the
comparative database and to support the ERS Technology and ERS Methodology teams to ensure that the ERS data
analysis platform is current and optimized for the needs of partner engagement.
? Data modeling: Prior to ERS, Jenny worked at the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) where she was
responsible for the evaluation of programs designed for prevention and intervention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders (FASD). It was during this time that she discovered her “inner nerd” and love for data and database
management, data analysis and programming. Before discovering her “inner nerd” she held a position at the Mount
Sinai School of Medicine, working on research projects that investigated the effects of medications for the treatment of
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD).
Education
? B.S., Psychology | Union College
? M.A., Psychology | The New School for Social Research
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Appendix D: Budget Detail
Budget Detail: The budget related to this project has two main components: fees related to services provided by
Parthenon and fees related to services provided by ERS.
Parthenon and ERS will begin work with the KCS in May (at a low level of intensity), as described in Criterion 1 in the
proposal. The work in May and J une will focus on activities such as launch of data requests, collection of data, and high
level validation of the quality of the data.
May-13 Jun-13 Jul-13 Aug-13 Sept-13 Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13
Jan-Oct
2014
Parthenon Team (Professional Fees and Expenses)
Seth Reynolds,
Partner
5% 5% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 30% 15%
Kasia Lundy,
Senior Principal
10% 10% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 15%
Kate Stephens,
Principal
-- -- 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% --
Elizabeth Palmer,
Associate
-- -- -- 50% 50% 50% 50% -- --
Romy Drucker,
Summer Principal
-- 50% 100% 50% -- -- -- -- --
Daniel Lobo,
Summer Associate
-- 50% 100% 50% -- -- -- -- --
Discounted Monthly
Cost
$0K $0K $140K $168K $168K $168K $168K $140K $0K
Total Parthenon
Staffing Fees and
Expenses
$0K $950K (J uly-Dec)
Subcontracting Fees
ERS Services $0K $250K (J uly-Oct)
Total Fees
Parthenon and ERS $0K $1.2 million
The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.2 million, inclusive of all professional fees and expenses:
• The level of professional fees/staffi ng resources is dictated by the detailed scope of activities described in our
response to Criterion 1. Given the intensive nature of this engagement, which includes planning, capacity
building, communications and implementation, Parthenon will have a consistent on the ground presence in Knox
on a regular basis. Directly allocated Partners, Case Team Leader, Principals and Associates will be in Knox on
a weekly basis. In addition, Parthenon will leverage the broader experience of its Education Practice to support
the Knox team.
• Expenses relate to travel (airfare, ground transportation, lodging, and other travel-related expenses), primary
and secondary research, printing and other administrative expenses incurred, and charges related to telecom
and internet. Expenses will also cover sessions with Dr. Marguerite Roza, Senior Advisor. Parthenon will
invoice for the total professional fees and expenses in a flat fee. Parthenon assumes the risk for any overages in
expenses.
Appendix E: Memorandum of Understanding and Letters of Support
• Signed Memorandum of Understanding
• Letter of support from the Great Schools Partnership
• Letter of support from the Knox County Council PTA
• Letter of support from the Knoxville Chamber
• Letter of support from the Tennessee SCORE – State Collaborative on
Reforming Education
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