HISD Head Says CEP Will Grant Contract Extension, Giving Him Time To Study Whether To Renew It

Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier told Hair Balls today that he has a verbal agreement from the leaders of Community Education Partners that they will extend their contract renewal deadline until March 1, 2010.

Grier wants a more thorough review of CEP, the private firm that operates two alternative schools in Houston and several more throughout the country. In recent years, CEP has lost some of its contracts and Austin ISD decided not to employ the firm for its troubled kids.

Grier says he expects to receive a formal letter later today from CEP granting the extension, CEP’s contract with HISD costs the district more than $19 million a year, and possibly as much as $24.5 million when other district-borne costs such as transportation are factored in.

And in other CEP news today, CEP critic Robert Kimball, stung by veiled and not-so-veiled allegations that the only reason he has been so against CEP is because he tried to get it to enter into a contract with him a few years back, issued this statement:

“I have never asked CEP to serve as a paid consultant which has been rumored. I have never discussed a contract to consult with CEP nor would accept a contract if it was offerred. I will sue anyone for slander and defamation who reports that I am motivated in expressing my concerns over CEP because they did not give me a contract. Anyone who makes that statement is being malicious and defamatory.”