Education partnership places CEO on leave

The first laptops paid for the by the Partnership for Connecticut were heading into students’ hands Monday afternoon, but celebration was quelled as the group’s CEO was put on a paid administrative leave.

CEO Mary Anne Schmitt-Carey was hired the same day the controversial partnership’s board voted to purchase the laptops, but has since been placed on administrative leave for undisclosed reasons.

The partnership formed last year as a joint project between the state and Dalio Philanthropies, which has contributed tens of millions of dollars toward education in Connecticut over the last dozen years. As schools closed down, the partnership quickly ordered 60,000 Dell laptops for high school students in poorly performing, largely urban school systems.

No reason has been given for the disciplinary action against SchmittCarey, a Greenwich resident, who was approved as CEO by the public-private board of the partnership on March 23. She had previously been a longtime CEO of Say Yes to Education, a

nonprofit focused on helping public school students graduate with life skills.

“The Partnership’s Board of Directors and Members are working as

prudently as possible to schedule a special joint meeting of the Board and Members to consider and resolve a confidential personnel issue,” board Chairman Erik Clemons said in an emailed statement. “We will provide public notice when the meeting is scheduled

and handle the matter in a manner that is consistent with the appropriate process and in the best interest of the Partnership.”

Schmitt-Carey’s hiring followed a lengthy national search that included vetting 261 candidates for the position.

She was placed on paid administrative leave earlier this month, according to a spokesman for the partnership. It was unclear Monday whether the board would move to fire Schmitt-Carey. A spokesman for the partnership declined further comment on the matter. SchmittCarey was asked to resign on May 4, according to a report in the Hartford Courant. Clemons placed Schmitt-Carey on paid leave May 7.

Schmitt-Carey, 54, spent the past year as a senior

fellow for the Woodrow Wilson Foundation reflecting on her 30-year career in education-related venture investment and nonprofit work, she said during an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media in February.

When Schmitt-Carey first considered the position, her goals included building out a leadership team for the organization and locating a headquarters. The coronavirus pandemic launched her headfirst instead into the mission the partnership was initially established for — helping disengaged and disconnected youth finish high school and remain active, contributing members of the community.

The public-private partnership was formed by a combination of $100 million pledged Dalio Philanthropies over five years; an

equal contribution from state taxpayers; and hopes for another $100 million yet to be raised from other private donors.

The concept was controversial immediately after it was formed by the General Assembly, as the partnership was exempted from state open-government rules and ethics rules. Members of the board who are public officials are still subject to the Freedom of Information Act in their roles with the partnership, however, and board meetings have been generally public.

The organization’s board of directors voted March 23 — in the same meeting the board approved Schmitt-Carey’s hiring — to purchase 60,000 laptops for Connecticut high school students as part of the organization’s response to the COVID-19 crisis that

closed Connecticut schools beginning in March.

And on Monday students in New Britain became the first recipients of new Dell laptops, about a week ahead of schedule.

A full delivery schedule for all of the laptops is available via the state Department of Education, which is helping to coordinate the distribution of the 60,000 laptops with local school boards.

Laptops will also be delivered this week to students in Bloomfield, Bridgeport, Danbury, East Hartford, Hamden and Hartford. Dell is in direct contact with District IT directors to coordinate delivery and logistics, according to the state Department of Education.

Schmitt-Carey