KIPP and YES Prep founders Mike Feinberg and Chris Barbic with an op ed in the Houston Chronicle, offering a partnership with the new, reform-minded superintendent:

In his 2010 State of the Schools address, Houston Independent School District Superintendent Terry Grier commented on the district's relationship with the public charter schools we founded more than a decade ago, YES Prep and KIPP. Grier referred to the relationship as a partnership as well as a competition, stating that HISD is ready to "get busy" in order to ensure parents are not leaving failing HISD schools to attend YES Prep, KIPP or other high-performing charters in Houston. We could not be more pleased to hear these comments from Grier. In fact, we've been hoping for many years that our existence would indeed result in this type of relationship with HISD and a superintendent ready to "get busy" and compete. The recent changes that Grier and the board have implemented regarding a longer calendar and focus on human capital show that they are committed to this idea.

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Grier has opened door to system of great schools

By CHRIS BARBIC and MIKE FEINBERG

March 10, 2010, 7:58PM

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6907280.html