March
U.S. District Court Judge White declares the district has fulfilled Judge Battisti’s desegregation order of 22 years ago. Federal court oversight will end in July 2000.

April
An arbitrator rules that the reconstitution of Revere and Waverly schools violated tenure and teachers’ rights, and calls for alternative types of reform.

May
After overcoming objections by the plaintiffs in the desegregation case and the CTU, eight schools finally elect parents, teachers and school staff to School Governance Councils. The elections step up decentralization efforts aimed at shifting decision-making from downtown to local schools.

June
A federal judge implores state officials to quickly turn control of the schools over to the mayor. Under state law, the mayor, PTA, council president, teachers union, district principals association, a business group, and the state superintendent will each name members of a committee that will nominate 18 people as board candidates. Mayor White will then choose nine to serve on the new board, as well as a chief executive officer to oversee the district and its budget.

The State Board of Education approves Hope Academy as the city’s first "community" or charter school; the private school will be funded publicly and be free of many state regulations.

September
At 1 p.m. on Sept. 9, Mayor White officially replaces the elected school board with the first mayor-appointed board in the city’s history.

Interim Supt. Penning, a 29-year district veteran, resigns after battling with Mayor White over his $600,000 contract, which was signed by state Supt. Goff in January. The buyout eventually costs the district $210,000.

White appoints district Chief of Staff Louis Erste acting CEO and begins a nationwide search for a new leader.

November
Barbara Byrd-Bennett, a New York City educator with 22 years experience and a reputation for turning around low-performing schools, is appointed CEO. She receives a four-year contract at a salary of $155,000.

Research: Barbara Good and staff

Sources: The Plain Dealer, proceedings of Cleveland School Board meetings, school district annual reports.

Photos: Cleveland Municipal School District, U.S. District Court, Cleveland City Council

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CATALYST: For Cleveland Schools is an independent publication created to document, analyze and support improvement efforts in Cleveland's public schools.