San Francisco (02-02) 19:09 PST -- Arlene Ackerman, the former San Francisco schools superintendent who improved student achievement but was forced to resign amid charges that she didn't work well enough with parents and teachers, died Saturday of pancreatic cancer in Albuquerque. She was 66.
Dr. Ackerman left San Francisco in 2006 after six years as the city's first African American and first female superintendent. She had also served as superintendent in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
"I think her tenure was enormously important to San Francisco," said Jill Wynns, who was president of the city's Board of Education when Dr. Ackerman was hired. "The truth is that Arlene was treated badly by many people."
Dr. Ackerman was credited with strengthening district finances after uncovering widespread corruption in the district's facilities department under previous Superintendent Bill Rojas. She recouped more than $50 million for the district after calling in the FBI and city attorney's office to investigate companies and individuals involved in the fraud.
Dr. Ackerman also tried to address racial disparities in test scores by creating initiatives to give more money and resources to the lowest-performing schools. But teachers' union President Dennis Kelly said, "She wasn't as inclusive as she could have been and ran into more difficulty because of that.
"Her dedication to children was admirable," Kelly said. "When she first came we welcomed her with open arms, but by the time she left we knew it was time for her to go."
Dr. Ackerman would later sue the district, claiming that it failed to pay her benefits guaranteed under her severance package.
Upon her departure, Dr. Ackerman looked back on her tenure fondly.
"I take great satisfaction in knowing that the school system is much better and stronger now than when I came here some five years ago," she said in a statement. "Like so many others, my heart will always remain in San Francisco."
Dr. Ackerman, who grew up in St. Louis, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that her experience attending segregated schools affected her deeply.
"While those were very difficult times, I think they helped shape who I am," Dr. Ackerman told the newspaper in 2008. "They helped me understand the importance of a quality education, why resources are important. All of those experiences have made me a better leader, a better educator."
After leaving Philadelphia, she moved to Albuquerque to be near family and started an educational consulting business. She served on the board of the Southwest Women's Law Center and gave advice on how to get more girls involved in athletics, said Executive Director Pamelya Herndon.
Chronicle wire services contributed to this report.
Neal J. Riley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: nriley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @realdealneal
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