Issue Position: The Department of Public Instruction

Issue Position

There are both positives and negatives to the role DPI plays in education across NC. Beware of candidates whose sole platform is to slash and burn NC-DPI and throw out arbitrary reductions like the elimination of 75% of operations. This shows a narrow focus of the complex issues to real education reform. John believes there are great opportunities to reduce bureaucracy, increase efficiencies, and realign valuable and limited tax resources back into our classrooms. When making such adjustments Mr. Tedesco is a skilled administrative surgeon with a track record of success.

Before making broad claims, Mr. Tedesco would engage in an organizational audit allowing us to look at reduced and effective operational structures that can deliver on intended objectives. Additionally, he would engage in extensive program audits to ensure we remove what does not work and support what does. He would evaluate operational costs then adjust, renegotiate, and or outsource to produce the best results.

Example: In Wake County, John Tedesco and his colleagues saved $400,000 renegotiating cell phone contracts across the district and $100,000 adjusting HR software contract terms. They saved over $7 million realigning the transportation department, reducing middle managers and outsourced the parts division to private providers. Along with many more examples, these efforts produced savings that went back into the classrooms and increased operational effectiveness. John Tedesco has the ability to streamline operations in a productive and beneficial manner and will work to utilize Six Sigma management strategies common to our top businesses.

Too often DPI staff is not supported to do their jobs. In many cases high level senior leadership lack the management skills to build a positive team environment focused on the mission and ignore program evaluations of staff that highlight shortcomings. John Tedesco is skilled at building effective teams who are valued and focused on goals that improve outcomes for others. John will tap into our human capital and bring out the best while realigning the focus of this department.

John will keep focus on critical self analysis and not shy away from the tough internal conversations. Mr. Tedesco envisions creating a DPI cultural shift from bureaucratic oversight and paper pushing to customer service of our local school districts, improved development of our classrooms and support of our educators.

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