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A $15 million investment to turn around 15 chronically struggling Alabama schools is underway, but without the Montgomery-based management team initially hired to oversee it.

The Alabama Department of Education contracted with Professional Development Services, LLC in April to manage what is being called the Turnaround Schools Initiative.

The department canceled the contract on Oct. 7, explaining to one of the group’s partners, James Wright that it would now manage the initiative internally, according to Wright.

“We internalized the work quicker than anticipated,” department attorney Jessica Sanders told AL.com. “It was no secret we always wanted to internalize this work.”

Read more: Alabama is investing $15 million to turn around 15 schools with ‘overwhelming’ needs

Wright, in a phone call with AL.com Tuesday, said he was surprised when Alabama Superintendent Eric Mackey notified him they were canceling the contract effective immediately.

Alabama Superintendent Eric Mackey sent an email to superintendents of the 15 schools on Oct. 7, writing: “…after reviewing the project’s launch, we believe it would be better to internalize the operations and support systems. As a result, I am writing to let you know that we are cancelling the contract with Professional Development Services (PDS) and Dr. James Wright effective immediately.”

Wright told AL.com he and other experts he contracted to help had been working with school officials, and he had hired a project manager for each of the 15 schools.

“We had probably 40 consultants with the expertise that we needed.”

“We’ve done a lot of work in terms of getting ready to roll out about October 1,” Wright said, “done all the necessary preparation with the consultant teams to go into the systems and to start.”

Wright said he did not know whether those consultants would continue working on the initiative under the direction of the department of education.

Sanders said the state department is ready to lead the work and wanted to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“We have a strong school improvement model,” she said. “With school starting, we’re trying to make all that happen now. We don’t have time to wait.”

State funding for the initiative technically was not available until the start of the new fiscal year, which began Oct. 1.

Wright’s group has been paid more than $288,000 in state funds for professional consulting services since May, under two separate contracts totaling $980,000.

Mackey told superintendents in the Oct. 7 email funding for schools would not be affected: “You will continue to receive the funds promised to you, including funds to employ auxiliary teachers following the early childhood model.”

Thirteen of the 15 schools have been on the state’s “failing” school list one or more times, and 12 were on the most recent “failing” list.

The schools are listed below. Click here if you are unable to see the table.