[1] In Rochester, Janey collaborated with union leader Adam Urbanski to create a "peer assistance and review" process to support and evaluate teachers.
[3] Despite their work together, in 2002, Urbanski would publicly blast measures Janey proposed to close a large gap in the district's budget as "draconian".
Upon Janey's death, Justin Murphy of the Democrat and Chronicle described this action as, "forward-thinking as a school reform measure, even if the district never actually attained its goals for student achievement.
[7] Embattled, Janey reached a mutual agreement with the school board to leave his position in May 2002,[7] two years prior to his contract's expiration.
[3] In 2004, Janey was hired by Mayor Anthony A. Williams to serve as superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools, which was beset with troubles.
[1] He was highly anticipated, when he was hired, as prospectively leading a turnaround of the school system.
[1] Janey received credit for implementing stringent academic standards about what needed to be taught at each grade level in the school system.
They had two daughters,[1] including Kaidi Grant-janey and Kim Janey, who would go on to serve as acting mayor of Boston.