Just the fact, ma'am: A look at McIntyre's classroom experience

Superintendent Jim McIntyre

I’ve been following this teacher thing closely.

I’m posting this blog entry because there’s some information out there that isn’t correct (and there’s a lot that is correct) about the time Knox County Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre spent in the classroom. I just wanted to throw out a few facts. 

It's not to give any side a voice. 

Anyhoo:

FACT: McIntyre is in charge of the county’s more than $400 million educational budget, its 89 schools and a 7,500-person workforce that includes 4,800 teachers.

FACT: Of the state’s 15 largest school districts, 13 superintendents spent between seven and 33 years as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal. 

FACT: Only two superintendents who oversee the state’s largest school districts have fewer than seven years’ experience. Jim spent one year in a school, and Dorsey Hopson, a long-time attorney, who took over one of the state’s most troublesome school districts – Memphis-Shelby County – has no classroom experience. 

FACT: About 20 years ago, Jim taught only one school-year at Vincent Gray Alternative High School, a private academy in East St Louis, Ill that touts class sizes of eight to 10 students “who live on the margins of poverty,” and graduates an average of 20 students per year, according to its website. You can find that information right smack here.

FACT: Jim taught English, anatomy and physical education. He said he took the job as part of an endeavor similar to “a domestic Peace Corps kind of thing.”

FACT: After the school year, Jim returned home to Boston. He built on his education, earning a master’s degree in urban affairs at Boston University, and a doctorate in public policy at the University of Massachusetts.

FACT: In 1997, Jim joined the Boston Public Schools’ finance office in 1997 where he worked as an intern, according to one of his letters of recommendation written by John McDonough, then-BPS chief financial officer and the systems’ current superintendent. Jim was quickly promoted to budget director and deputy chief financial officer where he helmed a school district of roughly 56,000 students, 9,000 employees and budget of more than $800 million,according to his resume, which you can find right smack here. (On a side note,there are typos in his resume. But I digress.)

FACT: In 2006, Jim took over as BPS chief operating officer.

FACT: Knox County hired in him the spring of 2008 in a 5-4 vote. Initially 40 people applied for the job. The final candidates were Jim, Brian Bingelli, an assistant superintendent in Virginia’s Fairfax County Public Schools, and Bob Thomas, a Knox County assistant superintendent. Bignelli had 22 years’ experience as a teacher and principal, including eight in the classroom, according to his resume. Thomas had 12 years as a teacher and principal, including nine in the classroom.

FACT: Jim earns an annual salary of $222,800 and an $800-a-month travel allowance. He started in early July 2008. The board has since then renewed his contract, which runs through 2016. The board will talk about extending his contract another year on Monday.

SEMI-FACT: The board does whatever Jim tells it to do.

FACT: Graduation rates have increased during Jim’s tenure, from 79.3 percent in 2008 to 87.8 percent in 2013 – though they declined slightly from the all-time high of 90.2 percent in 2012.

FACT: Test scores aren’t as rosy as some folks paint them to be.

FACT: This information is not new.

FACT: No one has actually reported it in detail. 

A look at classroom experience for top 10 districts:

Memphis-Shelby County Schools

Superintendent: Dorsey Hopson

District size: 153,000 students

Teacher/Principal experience: none

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools

Director of Schools: Jesse Register

District size: 83,000 students

Teacher/Principal experience: 13 years

Knox County Schools

Superintendent: Jim McIntyre

District size: 57,700

Teacher/Principal experience: 1 year

Hamilton County Schools

Superintendent: Rick Smith

District size: 42,000 students

Teacher/Principal experience: 13 years

Rutherford County Schools

 Director of Schools: Don Odom

District size: 41,000

Teacher/Principal experience: 31 years

Williamson County Schools

Superintendent: Mike Looney

District size: 34,000 students

Teacher/Principal experience: 9.5 years

Clarksville-Montgomery County School System

Director of Schools: B.J. Worthington

District size: 31,400 students

Teacher/Principal experience: 19 years

Sumner County Schools:

Director of Schools Del R. Phillips III

District size: 28,000

Teacher/Principal experience: 9 years

Wilson County Schools

 Director of Schools Timothy R. Setterlund

District size: 15,750

Teacher/principal experience: 33 years

Sevier County Schools

Superintendent Jack Parton

District size: 14,670

Teacher/Principal experience: 7 years

Jackson-Madison County School System:

 Superintendent Verna D. Ruffin

District size: 13,375

Teacher/Principal experience: 22