Instead, they say, the time has come for mayoral control of the nation's largest school system.

"I think in terms of the business community, they feel this is what mayoral control was about," she said.

Mayoral control of the schools has political and practical benefits.

I think that's why people in this city supported mayoral control.

At the same time, this failure brought the potential benefits of mayoral control into focus.

"We have always taken a more cautious approach about total mayoral control."

Mayoral control of the board, she added, "doesn't make any difference without an educational program."

That way, even with mayoral control, state legislators and the union will still have a voice.

"It started with mayoral control and a real sense that the mayor was going to try to do something significant," he said.

His key demand - direct mayoral control of the schools - never got very far.