Kaya Henderson has never said she wants to be the permanent chancellor of D.C. Public Schools. She stepped into the interim role after Michelle Rhee resigned in October, and Mayor Vincent Gray is following the letter of the law in searching for Rhee’s replacement. Henderson has remained evasive about her future beyond June.
But yesterday, when asked by The Washington Examiner if Henderson wanted to stay on, Gray said, “I think she would like to be considered. You can ask her that question. I think she would like to be considered.”
“Did she tell you that?” we asked.
“Did she tell me that? Yeah,” Gray said. “She’s certainly given me every indication that she wants to be here. She’s worked extremely hard to be here, also.”
Afterward, The Examiner sent an e-mail to Henderson asking if it was true — was she in it for the long haul? Just heard back this morning:
Over the past 100 days, I have enjoyed my tenure as interim Chancellor, my relationship with Mayor Gray and the ongoing work to improve the education we offer to the children of the District. I have shared the same with the Mayor. We both know we have much more work to do and remain squarely focused on getting the job done.
Basically? “Yes, I want the gig” without saying “Yes, I want the gig.”
Gray has been enthusiastic about Henderson, and she seems like a clear pick — cut in Rhee’s reform mold, but much more charming and collaborative. Her sticking point has been Impact, the teacher-evaluation tool she developed as Rhee’s deputy, and which has become the bane of the Washington Teachers’ Union. Yesterday, Gray’s education transition team released a preliminary report recommending that Impact be amended to rehabilitate underperforming teachers.
In December, Henderson defended Impact like a baby bear cub:
This morning — after the transition team’s report, and after her semi-confirmation that she wants the job — Henderson told The Examiner about the softer side of Sears:
Hear that buzzing sound? Those are the engines that the analysts are starting.
