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Monday, December 6, 2010

Michelle Rhee, Ex-Schools Chief in Washington, Re-emerges - NYTimes.com

Michelle Rhee, Ex-Schools Chief in Washington, Re-emerges - NYTimes.com

A Former Schools Chief Shapes Her Comeback

Ever since Michelle Rhee resigned under pressure as chancellor of the Washington, D.C., schools in October, rumors have flown about her next move.

Susan Walsh/Associated Press

Michelle Rhee

Would she relocate to Newark to spend the $100 million gift from Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook to fix its troubled schools? Would she become education commissioner of New Jersey or Florida?

Ms. Rhee, one of the best recognized, and most polarizing, figures in public education, answered Monday with timed appearances on “Oprah” and the cover of Newsweek. The media splash said as much about her ability to market herself and her brand of school reform as the details of her next chapter.

She announced she would lead a new advocacy group,StudentsFirst, setting a highly ambitious target of raising