HBS alumni and superintendents held starkly different views of what the challenges are and how optimistic the nation should be about where K-12 education is headed, with businesspeople expressing far greater pessimism than superintendents.
All but one of the new superintendents hold administrative positions in community school districts, and all have spent time teaching in New York City classrooms.
Jie Zhang, the academy's superintendent, has held the job for about two years, assuming the position after Cohen said he sent the letters.
Georgia's schools superintendent, Kathy Cox, held a news conference near the Capitol on Thursday, a day after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an article about the proposed changes.
Parents, faculty members and alumni of Bronx Science favored William J. Stark, the acting principal, while Mr. Levy and the Bronx superintendent, Norman Wechsler, held out for someone more prominent.
In one example of the turmoil under the old law, Mr. Quinn, the District 24 superintendent, had held the post for almost a decade but was fired by his local school board in 1999 when the majority turned against him.
Superintendent Jim Keogh held a live press conference at noon.
For now the job of superintendent is held by Ramon Cortines, who came out of retirement to run L.A. Unified.
Over the summer, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis held a secret meeting with the leaders of the West Side's most vicious gangs, telling them that the next group responsible for a murder would feel the department's wrath.
Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew and the other members of a mayoral task force seeking the broad overhaul of special education have said they cannot bring about reform until principals and superintendents are held accountable for decisions regarding individual students.
