Inquirer (partially) wins disclosure request on Ackerman bonus

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

The Inquirer filed a request with the state Office of Public Records to see the the criteria used to award Superintendent Arlene Ackerman a $65,000 bonus. It also sought a copy of the evaluation itself.

Late last week, it won a partial victory. The state ruled that the criteria must be made public, but not the evaluation itself.

The School Reform Commission argued that the information is private.

District spokesman Fernando Gallard said that no decision had yet been made on whether the District would appeal the ruling, or when it plans to comply.

"The District has 30 days to appeal and no determination has been made," Gallard said.

No word on whether whether the Inquirer plans to appeal the denial of the actual evaluation. The next step or that would be the Court of Common Pleas.