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InsideEd (Baltimore Sun): Maryland says goodbye to John Deasy

John Deasy is denying there’s any connection, but many people in the education community will continue to wonder whether the Prince George’s County superintendent would be moving on if there hadn’t been a dust-up in the past several weeks over how he got his doctoral degree.

Deasy, who is widely viewed by education leaders in the state as having started significant reforms in the county since he arrived, announced this week he will be leaving in February. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has been a growing presence in funding education reform in the country, has hired Deasy to be deputy director of its education division.

Last month, the Courier-Journal in Louisville reported that Deasy had been awarded a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Lousville in 2004 although he had only completed nine credits, or about a semester, there. He had completed more than 70 credits at other universities, according to published reports.

Typically, a doctoral candidate would have to be at Louisville for one year and complete twice as many credits while in residence there to get a degree.

Deasy’s academic advisor at the university was the dean of education, Robert Felner, who is now under a federal investigation, the paper reported, for his possible misuse of federal funds.

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UPDATED POST

John Deasy, superintendent of Prince Georges County (MD) public schools has resigned his post to become deputy directory of education for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Deasy received a PhD in 2004 after enrolling for 9-credits in one semester at the the University of Louisville. The University of Louisville recently named a blue-ribbon panel to investigate the awarding of the degree.

Deasy, had previously been involved in directing a $375,000 grant to a university research center that was run by Robert Felner, who was Deasy’s PhD supervisor and at the time dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Louisville. Felner is the focus of a ongoing federal criminal investigation.

WHAS11.com: Deasy, colleague of Felner who received PhD from U of L in 4 months, to work for Gates Foundation

But not over the controversy. Instead, John Deasy has become Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Courier-Journal: School chief linked to Felner will leave for new job

Says controversy over doctorate unrelated

John Deasy, who got a doctorate from the University of Louisville after being enrolled only one semester, is leaving his job as superintendent of the Prince George’s County (Md.) Public Schools to become deputy director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Sentinel: PGCPS eyeing Deasy degree investigation

Prince George’s County Public Schools officials supported Superintendent John Deasy despite news of an unusually speedy doctorate, but said their legal counsel was following the University of Louisville’s investigation.

Deasy’s doctorate was called into question after a federal probe into former University of Louisville Dean Robert Felner revealed that Deasy received the degree in one-fourth the time slated by university policy. Felner, the focal point of the federal investigation, was dean at the time.

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