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Paul Vallas

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Paul Vallas
Superintendent of Bridgeport Public Schools
In office
January 1, 2012 – November 8, 2013a
Superintendent of the Recovery School District of Louisiana
In office
2007–2011
CEO of the School District of Philadelphia
In office
July 2002 – June 2007
CEO of Chicago Public Schools
In office
July 10, 1995[1] – June 26, 2001
Appointed byRichard M. Daley
Preceded byArgie Johnson (as Superintendent)
Succeeded byArne Duncan
Personal details
Born (1953-06-10) June 10, 1953 (age 71)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseSharon Vallas
Children3
EducationWestern Illinois University (BA, MA)
a.^ Interim superintendent from January 1, 2012 through March 2012

Paul Gust Vallas (born June 10, 1953) is an American politician and former superintendent of the Bridgeport Public Schools and the Recovery School District of Louisiana, former CEO of both the School District of Philadelphia and the Chicago Public Schools, and a former budget director for the city of Chicago.

Vallas unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Illinois in 2002. He ran for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 2014 with then-incumbent Governor Pat Quinn, losing to the Republican ticket of Bruce Rauner and Evelyn Sanguinetti. In 2019, Vallas ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Chicago, placing ninth out of fourteen candidates in the first round.

In June 2022, Vallas announced his second mayoral candidacy for the 2023 election, running against incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Early life and education

The grandson of Greek immigrants, Vallas grew up in the Roseland neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. He spent his teen years living in Palos Heights. He graduated from Carl Sandburg High School and attended Moraine Valley Community College and then Western Illinois University, where he received a bachelor's degree in history and political science, a master's degree in political science, and a teaching certificate.[2]

School district leadership

Chicago

Vallas served as CEO of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) from 1995 to 2001. The position of CEO of the Chicago Public School system had been created by Mayor Richard M. Daley after he successfully convinced the Illinois State Legislature to place CPS under mayoral control. Vallas had previously directed the budget arm of the Illinois State Legislature and served as budget director for Daley.

During his tenure at CPS, Vallas led an effort to reform the school system. His work was cited by President Bill Clinton for raising test scores, balancing the budget, and instituting several new programs including mandatory summer school, after school programs, and expanding alternative, charter, and magnet schools.

Philadelphia

In July 2002, Vallas was appointed CEO of School District of Philadelphia.[3][4] His appointment occurred six months after the state took over the school district.[3]

As CEO, he presided over the nation's largest experiment in privatized management of schools,[4] with the management of over 40 schools turned over to outside for-profits, nonprofits, and universities beginning in Fall 2002.

Vallas left the job in June 2007 to take a position in Louisiana.[3] Upon his departure, Vallas was described by Philadelphia Magazine as the, "most effective Philadelphia schools chief in a generation".[5]

Recovery School District of Louisiana

Vallas signed a two-year contract (2007–2008) as superintendent of the Recovery School District of Louisiana. He ultimately remained head of the Recovery School District through 2011.[6][7][8][9][10]

Bridgeport, Connecticut

In December 2011, Vallas was hired by the board of education for Bridgeport, Connecticut to become the interim superintendent of Bridgeport Public Schools, effective January 1, 2012.[4]

In March 2013, Vallas became the permanent superintendent of the Bridgeport Public Schools.[4] In July, Connecticut Superior Court Justice Barbara Bellis ordered Vallas removed from the position after he neglected to complete mandated coursework and certification. Vallas stepped down on November 8, 2013 in order to run for lieutenant governor of Illinois in the following year's election.[11][12]

Political campaigns

2002 campaign for Governor of Illinois

Main article: 2002 Illinois gubernatorial election

Following his tenure at CPS, Vallas ran for Governor of Illinois as a Democrat. Vallas placed second in the Democratic primary, losing narrowly to now-former-Governor Rod Blagojevich while running ahead of former state Attorney General Roland Burris.[13]

2014 campaign for Illinois lieutenant governor

Main article: 2014 Illinois gubernatorial election

In November 2013, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn tapped Vallas to be his running mate in the 2014 election, after incumbent lieutenant governor Sheila Simon chose to run for Comptroller.[14] Quinn and Vallas lost the election to the Republican ticket of Bruce Rauner and Evelyn Sanguinetti.

2019 Chicago mayoral candidacy

Main article: 2019 Chicago mayoral election
Vallas marching in the 2019 Chicago Pride Parade

In March 2018, Vallas formally filed to become a candidate in the 2019 Chicago mayoral election.[15]

When he entered the race, Vallas was seen to be a potentially strong opponent to incumbent Rahm Emanuel, who was seeking reelection at the time.[16][17] [18] In September, Emanuel dropped out of the race, and the field for mayor grew, with many high-profile candidates entering the race.[19]

Among the numerous candidates to enter the race after Emanuel withdrew was Gery Chico, Vallas' one-time political ally, with whom he oversaw Chicago Public Schools.[20][21][22] Vallas had endorsed Chico for mayor in 2011.[23] Despite this history, Vallas did not hesitate to criticize Chico as a mayoral opponent.[20]

Vallas staked a large part of his candidacy on his record as head of Chicago Public Schools, arguing that he helped to turn around the school system and that his leadership left the system in better shape.[24] Vallas claimed that the Chicago Public Schools were healthier under his leadership than then were in 2019.[24] PolitiFact rated this claim as "mostly true".[25]

As a candidate, Vallas pledged to combat political corruption in Chicago's City Hall.[26]

In the first round of the election, Vallas placed ninth out of fourteen candidates, receiving 30,236 votes (5.43% of the votes cast).[27] Failing to advance to the runoff, Vallas endorsed Lori Lightfoot.[28]

2023 Chicago mayoral candidacy

Main article: 2023 Chicago mayoral election

In June 2022, Vallas announced his candidacy for mayor again in the 2023 election, challenging incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot.[29] He has been a critic of the Lightfoot administration over her lack of accountability in the rise of crime and violence in the city.[30]

Electoral history

2002 Illinois gubernatorial Democratic primary[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rod Blagojevich 457,197 36.50
Democratic Paul Vallas 431,728 34.47
Democratic Roland Burris 363,591 29.03
Total votes 1,252,516 100.00
2014 Illinois gubernatorial election[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bruce Rauner/ Evelyn Sanguinetti 1,823,627 50.27%
Democratic Pat Quinn (incumbent)/ Paul Vallas 1,681,343 46.35%
Libertarian Chad Grimm/ Alex Cummings 121,534 3.35%
Write-in 1,186 0.03%
Total votes 3,627,690 100%
2019 Chicago mayoral election
Candidate General Election[33] Runoff Election[34]
Votes % Votes %
Lori Lightfoot 97,667 17.54 386,039 73.70
Toni Preckwinkle 89,343 16.04 137,765 26.30
William Daley 82,294 14.78
Willie Wilson 59,072 10.61
Susana Mendoza 50,373 9.05
Amara Enyia 44,589 8.00
Jerry Joyce 40,099 7.20
Gery Chico 34,521 6.20
Paul Vallas 30,236 5.43
Garry McCarthy 14,784 2.66
La Shawn K. Ford 5,606 1.01
Robert "Bob" Fioretti 4,302 0.77
John Kolzar 2,349 0.42
Neal Sales-Griffin 1,523 0.27
Write-ins 86 0.02
Total 556,844 100 523,804 100

References

  1. ^ Schools Aren't Out Of Budget Woods Yet Chicago Tribune (August 20, 1995)
  2. ^ "Paul Vallas - City Club of Chicago". www.cityclub-chicago.org. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Useem, Elizabeth (2009). "Big City Superintendent as Powerful CEO: Paul Vallas in Philadelphia". Peabody Journal of Education. 84 (3): 300–317. doi:10.1080/01619560902973480. ISSN 0161-956X. JSTOR 25594846. S2CID 145119140.
  4. ^ a b c d Tepfer, Daniel (29 June 2013). "School's out for Vallas". Connecticut Post. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Power: Reformer R.I.P." Philadelphia Magazine. 29 August 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  6. ^ Greg Hinz. "Vallas interested in running for Illinois guv". April 28, 2008. Crain's Chicago Business.
  7. ^ David Mendell. "Vallas "open" to run for governor in 2010". April 28, 2008. Chicago Tribune.
  8. ^ Rosalind Rossi. "Former CPS CEO considering run for governor". April 28, 2008. Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2008.
  9. ^ Marin, Carol (2009-02-04). "Vallas targets County Board run". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  10. ^ John Kass. "Kass: Vallas staying put in New Orleans". June 11, 2009. Chicago Tribune.
  11. ^ Thomas, Jacqueline Rabe (8 November 2013). "Vallas to step down as leader of Bridgeport schools". The CT Mirror.
  12. ^ Lambeck, Linda Conner; Lockhart, Brian (9 November 2013). "Vallas to resign to run for Illinois lt. gov". NewsTimes. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  13. ^ "IL Governor - D Primary, March 19, 2002". OurCampaigns.com. December 21, 2004. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  14. ^ Moser, Whet (8 November 2013). "Paul Vallas Is With Quinn. But Why Do We Even Have a Lieutenant Governor?". Chicago magazine. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  15. ^ Former CPS CEO Paul Vallas Officially Files to Run for Mayor
  16. ^ Kass, John (24 August 2018). "The one thing Rahm Emanuel doesn't want: Paul Vallas in a runoff". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  17. ^ "Former CPS CEO Paul Vallas Launches Mayoral Campaign, Calls Emanuel 'Trump-Like'". NBC Chicago. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  18. ^ "Vallas says he's 'seriously considering' race against Emanuel". Crain's Chicago Business. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  19. ^ Slevin, Peter (February 22, 2019). "In Chicago's Mayoral Race, the Establishment Leads the Outsiders". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  20. ^ a b Kass, John (21 September 2018). "Paul Vallas tees off on Bill Daley and Gery Chico". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  21. ^ Spielman, Fran (14 March 2019). "Chico joins his former CPS partner Vallas in endorsing Lightfoot". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  22. ^ Spielman, Fran (8 November 2018). "Chico ad takes a bow for CPS tenure — but doesn't say he worked alongside Vallas". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  23. ^ "Gery Chico Gets Mayoral Endorsement From Paul Vallas". 23 November 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  24. ^ a b Sepeda-Miller, Kiannah (6 January 2019). "Fact-check: Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas claims CPS healthier under him". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  25. ^ Sepeda-Miller, Kiannah. "Vallas claims CPS healthier under his watch". PolitiFact. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  26. ^ "Reform, once avoided, now embraced in Chicago mayor's race". ABC News. Associated Press. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  27. ^ "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE FEBRUARY 26, 2019 MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL OF THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO" (PDF). Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  28. ^ Carlin, Jeff (13 March 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: Paul Vallas Endorses Lori Lightfoot for Chicago Mayor". WGN Radio. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  29. ^ Sneed, Michael (2022-05-28). "Paul Vallas to run for mayor, sources say". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  30. ^ "Paul Vallas Announces 2023 Run for Chicago Mayor". NBC Chicago. June 1, 2022.
  31. ^ "Ballots Cast". Illinois State Board of Elections. 19 March 2002. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  32. ^ "November 4, 2014 General election Official results" (PDF). Illinois Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 28, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  33. ^ "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE FEBRUARY 26, 2019 MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL OF THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO" (PDF). Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  34. ^ "2019 Municipal Runoffs - 4/2/19". Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
Educational offices
Preceded by
Argie Johnson
Superintendent
 CEO of Chicago Public School
1995–2001 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
2014 		Succeeded by
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