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>> -- AND A QUORUM OF THE BOARD
IS PRESENT.
THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MEETING OF AUGUST 13, 2013,
IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MAYBE WE WILL GO RIGHT TO
PUBLIC FORUM, SINCE WE'RE
RUNNING A LITTLE LATE AFTER
THE MORNING, ANYWAY.
GUESTS ARE WELCOME TO STAY
THE WHOLE TIME, BY THE WAY.
WE'RE USUALLY HERE TILL 10,
11 AT NIGHT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
FEEL FREE TO STAY HERE
WITH US.
[ INDISTINCT CHATTER ]
>> I CURRENTLY HAVE TWO FORMS,
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY EXTRAS
I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM.
THE FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK
IS KRISTEN WALDEN GRATTON,
AND THE SECOND PERSON
IS GOING TO BE MARY WOOD.
AND AS MS. GRATTON
IS COMING TO THE TABLE,
I WILL REMIND SPEAKERS THAT YOU
WILL BE GIVEN FIVE MINUTES
OF TIME-- IT WILL BE UP HERE
ON THE COUNTER, AND
BOARD MEMBERS, AS A MATTER OF
THEIR PRACTICE, DO NOT
CARRY ON A CONVERSATION AT
THE BOARD TABLE.
>> I JUST HAVE SOME FLYERS
FOR YOU.
ONE SIDE IS NETWORK,
AND ONE SIDE IS ME.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> WHENEVER YOU ARE READY
TO BEGIN, WE ARE READY.
>> MY NAME IS KRISTEN GRATTON.
I AM A NATIONAL BOARD
CERTIFIED TEACHER.
I AM A READING SPECIALIST.
I TEACH AT NORTH AUREALIS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MASON,
MICHIGAN, AND I AM A READING
INSTRUCTOR AT LANSING
COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
SO I TEACH READING
FOR THE LITTLE ONES AND
THE BIG ONES, AND IF YOU
NEED TO LEARN HOW TO READ,
IT IS THE SAME NO MATTER
HOW OLD YOU ARE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU
A STORY OF GREAT SUCCESS,
AND TO TELL YOU IN FIVE MINUTES
OR LESS HOW A STATE-FUNDED
INITIATIVE CALLED "MiBLSi."
THAT'S THE ACRONYM.
IT STANDS FOR MICHIGAN'S
INTEGRATED BEHAVIOR AND LEARNING
SUPPORT INITIATIVE.
HAS BEEN-- AT OUR SCHOOL
WE'RE BEGINNING OUR FIFTH YEAR
OF MiBLSi, AND I WANT TO
TELL YOU ABOUT HOW IT'S BEEN
IN ACTION, BUT I THOUGHT
I COULD HAVE A COLON--
OR HOW DATA COLLECTION
AND EVALUATION CHANGED TEACHING,
LEARNING, AND CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT BOTH, IN OUR SCHOOL.
THE QUOTE THAT I REALLY WANT
YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS YEAR--
"WE'VE ALREADY BEEN AT SCHOOL
"GETTING READY FOR THINGS
"AT THE END OF AUGUST.
"BUT WE'RE SO EXCITED
"ABOUT THIS YEAR.
"THE NEW SCHEDULE WITH
"THE COMMON LITERACY TIME
"FOR GRADE LEVELS CREATES
"SO MANY POSSIBILITIES
"FOR TEACHING."
I HEARD THAT LAST WEEK.
IT IS REALLY EXCITING
TO HEAR IT, BECAUSE IT IS
SORT OF THE-- I FEEL THAT NOW,
BECAUSE OF THE TRAINING THAT
WE GOT FROM MiBLSi,
WE ARE MOVING FORWARD AND WE
ARE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN THE LEARNING AND THE BEHAVIOR
OF THE KIDS AT OUR SCHOOL.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS,
BECAUSE MiBLSi WAS DESIGNED
TO BE A SELF SUSTAINING KIND OF
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP MODEL.
WE WENT THROUGH A NEW PRINCIPAL,
A NEW PSYCHOLOGIST, A NEW
SOCIAL WORKER, 8 NEW TEACHERS,
AND WE WERE ABLE TO STILL--
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM--
TELL THEM THE TENETS OF MiBLSi,
AND TO SHARE WHAT WE'VE BEEN
LEARNING, AND TO MAKE A TIGHTER
TEAM THAT WORKS WITH KIDS.
THE THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED
IN THE LAST YEAR IS THAT WE HAVE
DECIDED WE NEED TO HAVE
MORE TRANSPARENCY.
AS WE ARE EVALUATING DATA
IT IS VERY HARD TO GET
TWENTY EIGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER
TO LOOK AND MAKE DECISIONS.
SO WE THOUGHT THIS YEAR--
WE INSTIGATED THREE
NEW COMMITTEES.
A READING COMMITTEE,
A MATH COMMITTEE,
AND A BEHAVIOR COMMITTEE,
THAT MEET MONTHLY.
DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE STAFF--
THEY ARE SMALLER AND THEY CAN
TALK ABOUT PROBLEMS THAT
THEY SEE.
COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS
AND ACTION PLANS, AND PUT THEM
TO WORK IMMEDIATELY.
ONE OF THE THINGS OUR
READING COMMITTEE NOTICED,
IS THAT THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE
HAVING IS THAT WE JUST DIDN'T
HAVE A COMMON TIME,
WHERE EVERYONE WAS TEACHING
LITERACY AT THE SAME TIME.
WE WERE TOLD, "OH NO,
"IT WON'T WORK-- WE HAVE
"TOO MANY VARIED SCHEDULES.
"WE HAVE TOO MANY SPECIAL
"TEACHERS WHO COME OUT
"FOR ONE MORNING OR AFTERNOON.
"WE CAN'T DO IT."
WELL, WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER GROUP
OF ABOUT EIGHT TEACHERS--
AN ART TEACHER, A MUSIC TEACHER.
WE HAD ALL THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE SCHEDULES,
AND IN TWO HOURS WE CAME UP WITH
A SCHEDULE THAT MEETS
EVERYBODY'S NEEDS,
AND ALL THE GRADE LEVELS
HAVE A COMMON NINETY MINUTE
LITERACY BLOCK.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT,
TEACHERS ARE SO ENERGIZED
FOR THE SUMMER, THINKING,
HOW WILL THIS CHANGE WAY
I CAN TEACH STUDENTS?
HOW CAN I COLLABORATE WITH
CROSS-GRADE, AND GRADE LEVEL
PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE
THAT ALL THE KIDS WE TEACH
CAN HAVE THE SAME SUCCESS.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED, AND I KNOW
THAT YOU HAVE INVESTED
A LOT OF TIME, AND MONEY,
AND RESEARCH IN MiBLSi.
BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU
THAT SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE,
FROM A TEACHER FROM A SCHOOL
IN MASON, THAT WE SEE THAT
SCHOOL-WIDE DECISION MAKING
WITHOUT MiBLSi IS LIKE
GOING ON A TRIP WITHOUT A MAP.
YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A THING,
AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO.
BUT MiBLSi GAVE US A MAP
TO CHART OUR JOURNEY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COME BACK IN JUNE,
TELL US HOW IT WORKED.
>> YEAH, I WILL, WITH DATA.
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> KRISTEN IS ALSO
A VALUED MEMBER OF THE NETWORK
OF EDUCATORS, AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME
TO BE HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IT'S GREAT THAT YOU
WORKED OUT THAT THERE IS
ALWAYS A DIFFERENT NETWORK
PERSON TRYING TO KEEP US
UP TO SPEED WITH SOME THINGS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
AND I WANTED TO TALK TO
YOU ABOUT A STATE INITIATIVE
THAT WE HAVE BEEN MAKING WORK.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER
IS MARY WOOD.
MARY, IF YOU'D PLEASE
COME TO THE TABLE.
WHENEVER YOU ARE READY,
WE ARE READY.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
MY NAME IS MARY WOOD.
I LIVE AT 27533 SANTA ANNA,
IN WARREN, MICHIGAN.
I AM HERE WEARING TWO HATS.
I KIND OF DIVERSIFIED MYSELF.
EVEN THOUGH I WANT TO RETIRE
FROM CHARTER SCHOOLS--
I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING ELSE CALLING
ITS NAME FOR ME.
FIRST OFF, LET ME GIVE YOU
AN UPDATE ON CHARTERS.
I DID CHECK THE NEW UPDATED
POSTING FOR CHARTERS
THAT WERE GOING TO BE OPENING
FOR THE FALL, AND WHAT
STRUCK MY INTEREST HERE WAS
BALDWIN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
THEY WERE AUTHORIZING MOSAICA
ONLINE ACADEMY OF MICHIGAN.
I JUST SO HAPPENED TO GO
TO THE HENRY FORD, WHEN THEY
HAD THE MAKERS' FAIR
A FEW WEEKENDS AGO.
AND FORTUNATE TIMING FOR ME,
BUT I GOT TO MEET THE CEO OF
MOSAICA IN PERSON.
THEY ARE SOLICITING THIS
NEW ONLINE SCHOOL.
NOW, I WAS REALLY CURIOUS
TO FIND OUT-- BALDWIN COMMUNITY
SCHOOLS-- WHO WERE THEY?
SO I LOOKED THEM UP ON
THE INTERNET, AND FOUND OUT
THEY SEEM TO BE A QUITE HOMEY,
KIND OF NICHE-ABLE, SMALL,
COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
THAT TAKES QUITE PRIDE IN
WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE
FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
MAYBE, IF ANYTHING,
THEY HAVE A COUPLE
OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS,
AND MAYBE ONLY ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL
AND A HIGH SCHOOL.
I INQUIRED UP HERE AT
THE DEPARTMENT TO FIND OUT,
WHY WOULD BALDWIN COMMUNITY
SCHOOLS AUTHORIZE
ONLINE MOSAICA?
AND I FOUND OUT THAT
CURRENTLY THE SUPERINTENDENT
OF BALDWIN HAD FORMERLY BEEN
AN EMPLOYEE OF MOSAICA.
SO ISN'T THAT CONVENIENT?
THAT NOW A FORMER EMPLOYEE
OF THIS MANAGEMENT COMPANY
NOW IS WORKING IN A SITUATION
WHERE HE BECOMES THE AUTHORIZER
OF HIS FORMER EMPLOYER.
WELL, I WAS UP HERE NOW,
TO FURTHER-- I LOOKED UP
ANOTHER CHARTER SCHOOL THAT HAS
BEEN OF INTEREST TO ME--
THE ROMINE GROUP
IS A MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
HE IS OPENING UP ANOTHER
CHARTER SCHOOL IN A FORMER
BUILDING THAT OCCUPIED
A CHARTER THAT RELOCATED.
CLOSE TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I FOUND THAT HIS PEOPLE
WAS ACTUALLY AN APPLICANT,
AND ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS
WAS A TWELVE YEAR EMPLOYEE
OF TRILLIUM ACADEMY.
AGAIN A SCHOOL THAT IS MANAGED
BY THE ROMINE COMPANY.
SO HERE WE HAVE A BOARD MEMBER
WHO IS A FORMER EMPLOYEE.
IN FACT, PROBABLY JUST QUIT
EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY
TO BECOME A BOARD MEMBER,
WHO IS NOW OVERSEEING
HER FORMER EMPLOYEE.
I JUST FEEL THAT THESE
SITUATIONS ARE JUST
A LITTLE TOO COZY.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST,
THAT IS KIND OF BORDERLINE.
BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE ME
FEEL REAL CONFIDENT THAT
THE PROPER OVERSIGHT IS
REALLY GOING TO BE HAPPENING
AT THAT BOARD LEVEL.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT I'VE DIVERSIFIED INTO
NOW WATCHING THE EAA.
IT IS VERY MUCH LIKE
A BIG CHARTER SCHOOL.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS
A ELEVEN MEMBER BOARD
THAT HAS BEEN HAND PICKED BY
THE GOVERNOR, THAT HAS
DROPPED DOWN IN PLACE,
THAT GOT ABSOLUTELY NO
BOARD TRAINING.
THEY NOW ARE TWO YEARS INTO
THIS, AND I AM LETTING THEM
KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW.
I AM CALLING THEM OUT ON IT.
SO ALONG THE WAY THEY HAVE
VIOLATED THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT
UP THE GAZOO.
THEY HAVE BEEN STALLING ON
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS.
AND WHAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY
DOING NOW IS OFFERING THESE
ILL-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
AN OPPORTUNITY.
UP TO 1,000 JUNIORS
AND SENIORS WILL BE ABLE TO
ACQUIRE UP TO 60 CREDIT HOURS
IN THEIR NEW PROGRAM--
BASICALLY A DUAL ENROLLMENT
THAT THEY ARE COOPERATIVELY
WORKING WITH HENRY FORD
COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND
WAYNE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT KIDS
THAT ARE DOWN IN THE BOTTOM 5%,
WHO HAVE BARELY MAYBE RE PASSED
THE 3rd GRADE LEVEL.
BUT WE ARE OFFERING THEM
A PROGRAM, THESE STUDENTS
A PROGRAM THAT IS FAR OUT
OF THEIR REACH?
IN ESSENCE WHAT THEY ARE
TRYING TO DO-- FROM MY
VANTAGE POINT HERE--
IS RECRUIT MORE STUDENTS INTO
THEIR SYSTEM, THAT REALLY AREN'T
PERFORMING AT THE LOWER LEVEL.
BUT THEY ARE GIVING THEM
AN AVENUE THAT THEY CAN
GO THROUGH THE EAA TO ACQUIRE
THIS FAST ROUTE THROUGH COLLEGE.
THIS IS A COMMENT THAT I READ
OFF OF SENATOR HOPGOOD'S WEBSITE
IN REGARDS TO THE FOIAs THAT
HE HAD BEEN PUTTING OUT
AND CORRESPONDING BACK AND
FORTH BECAUSE OF THE DELAY.
A TEACHER HAD SAID,
"LAST WEEK, I MET A GUY
"WHO WORKS FOR THE EAA.
"HE DIDN'T TELL ME THAT
"RIGHT AWAY.
"HE SAID HE WAS A CONSULTANT
"IN THE EDUCATION FIELD,
"WORKING IN DETROIT ON BEHALF OF
"SOME CALIFORNIA
"BUSINESS GROUP."
WELL, I DO KNOW THAT
THE [ INDISTINCT ] FOUNDATION
IS OPERATING OUT OF CALIFORNIA.
WHEN I ASK IF IT WAS THE EAA,
HE RELUCTANTLY SAID, "YES,"
NOT KNOWING THAT HE HAD BEEN
TALKING TO A TEACHER.
THEN I SAID, WITH THE EAA
LEGISLATION, THEY CAN TAKE
THE BOTTOM 5% EVERY YEAR,
NO MATTER WHAT.
AND HE SAID, "YES."
AND THEN I SAID,
"SO THAT MEANS IN A FEW YEARS
"IF THE EAA KEEPS ABSORBING
"THE BOTTOM 5%, THEY COULD
"REALLY TAKE OVER SCHOOLS
"THAT WERE INITIALLY IN
"THE TOP HALF OF THE STATE,
"AND THEY COULD TAKE OVER
"PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ACTUALLY
"OUTPERFORM THE EAA."
AND HE RESPONDED WITH
A SMILE, "YES."
SO I COME HERE WITH
A CAUTION TO EVERYBODY HERE
WHO IS IN CHARGE OF PUBLIC
OVERSIGHT OVER OUR
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THERE IS A BIG PLAN IN PLACE.
WE ALL KNOW THAT.
BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A LOT
OF PEOPLE ASK A LOT
OF QUESTIONS, AND HOLD PEOPLE
TO THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY
IN THE ROLE THEY ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> WHILE OUR GUESTS
ARE FILING IN, IS THERE
ANYONE CURRENTLY SEATED
THAT WANTS PUBLIC PARTICIPATION?
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> MERTZ, WHY DON'T YOU
SOME FORMS THAT FOLKS HAVE,
AND WE CAN START.
MARY-- THIS IS IN RESPONSE
TO MARY, SINCE WE DON'T DO THIS.
BUT I DID WANT TO CLARIFY
FOR THE RECORD, AT LEAST
FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW THAT
WE HAVE-- I HAVE BEEN.
I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
VERY FORTHRIGHT ABOUT THE FACT
THAT THE BOTTOM 5% WILL NOT
AUTOMATICALLY GO TO THE EAA.
THOSE POSSIBLE SCHOOLS
WILL BECOME SOMEWHAT
SELF EVIDENT WHEN SCORECARDS
ARE RELEASED LATER IN THE MONTH.
BUT I AM NOT DOUBTING THAT
IS THE WAY OTHERS ARE
PROJECTING IT-- IT IS JUST THAT
THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
I MEAN, IT IS GOING TO BE
A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER,
THAT ARE NOT SHOWING GROWTH.
AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT NEAR
THE COUPLE OF HUNDRED THAT
WOULD BE ON A SO-CALLED
"AUTOMATIC IN."
I JUST THOUGHT,
BECAUSE OUR AUDIENCE--
SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW
WHERE IT BEGINS AND ENDS
WITH THE INTERNET-- THAT WOULD
BE WORTH CLARIFYING.
I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN HAVE
THE DATA YET FULLY.
BUT I BET IT'S A DOZEN OR LESS.
SECONDLY, I THINK I AM GOING
TO TURN SALLY VAUGHN IN.
BECAUSE, SHE JUST TEXTED ME,
AND I THINK THAT MEANS
SHE'S WATCHING.
[ LAUGHTER ]
SO SHE PRETEND THAT
SHE'S HAPPY IN RETIREMENT,
BUT I THINK THAT MEANS
YOU'RE WATCHING.
THAT'S SICK.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
AND WELCOME BACK, MARIANNE.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
A PLEASURE, AS ALWAYS.
PLEASURE TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
I'M HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE
THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I'M SADDENED AND OUTRAGED THAT
THE CLOSING OF THEIR SCHOOL--
THE OAKMAN SCHOOL IN DETROIT.
IT'S A SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOL.
THE SCHOOLS WAS SPECIALLY
CONSTRUCTED FOR THESE CHILDREN.
IT HAS A NUMBER OF
SPECIAL ACCOUTERMENTS,
THAT THEY WILL TELL YOU ABOUT.
THEY ARE GOING TO TELL YOU
WHAT THE CLOSING HAS MEANT
TO THEIR CHILDREN,
AND TO THEIR FAMILIES.
THE SCHOOL, AS I SAY,
HAS MET THEIR PARTICULAR NEEDS,
AND HELPED THESE CHILDREN
ADVANCE INTO MEANINGFUL
AND ENRICHING LIVES.
THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN OPEN
SINCE ABOUT 1930.
THEY ARE GOING TO TELL
YOU ABOUT HOW THEIR LIVES
AND NEEDS HAVE ALSO BEEN
CAST ASIDE BY AN UNCARING,
ARROGANT MAN WITH TOO MUCH
POWER, AND NO BACKGROUND
IN EDUCATION-- MUCH LESS
FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS.
AND HOW HIS ACTIONS HAVE
VICIOUSLY DISRUPTED THE LIVES
OF OTHERS IN HIS CHARGE.
THEY PROBABLY WILL NOT
TELL YOU, HOWEVER, ABOUT HOW
THEY HAVE OVERCOME
PERSONAL FEARS AND SET
ASIDE THEIR EVERYDAY ROUTINES
IN ORDER TO FIGHT THIS
PROPOSED CLOSING.
THEY HAVE STEPPED UP IN AN
UNUSUALLY STRONG SHOW OF BRAVERY
TO DO WHAT THEY KNOW IS RIGHT.
AND THAT IS TO PREVENT
THE CLOSING OF THEIR
BELOVED SCHOOL.
SO WITH THAT-- THE ONES
WHO ARE WILLING TO TALK
ARE GOING TO TALK.
>> CAN I COLLECT SOME MORE FORMS
FROM SOME PEOPLE?
>> WELCOME.
GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.
DID YOU COME UP ON A BUS?
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> WE'LL JUST LET EVERYONE
GET SETTLED HERE A MINUTE.
>> OKAY, AND THE SPEAKER
IS HELEN MOORE, AM I CORRECT?
>> YOU ARE CORRECT.
>> OKAY-- AND WE'RE READY
WHENEVER YOU ARE.
>> MY NAME IS HELEN MOORE.
I REPRESENT KEEP THE VOTE,
NO TAKEOVER.
THE COALITION OF 24
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY
OF DETROIT, WHO STAND FOR
QUALITY EDUCATION FOR
ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
I GOT INVOLVED IN THIS SITUATION
WITH OPEN CLOSINGS.
NOT THE FIRST TIME A SCHOOL
HAS BEEN CLOSED.
BUT THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION.
MY GRANDDAUGHTER ATTENDED
THIS SCHOOL ABOUT 5-6 YEARS AGO,
AND SHE IS NOW IN
SCHOOLCRAFT COLLEGE,
AND THEY SAID SHE WOULD
BE A VEGETABLE.
SHE HAS CEREBRAL PALSY.
AND SHE IS A VERY,
VERY GOOD STUDENT WHERE SHE IS.
AND I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS
IMPORTANT FOR ME AS
A GRANDPARENT, AND A PARENT,
AND A SCHOOL ACTIVIST,
TO COME AND TALK TO ALL OF YOU
ABOUT WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING.
YOU MAY SAY, "WELL, WE'RE IN
"THE WRONG PLACE."
WELL, WE'RE NEVER IN THE WRONG
PLACE WHEN IT COMES TO CHILDREN.
AND THESE CHILDREN ARE UNIQUE.
THEY HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS.
THEY NEED DOCTORS.
THEY NEED NURSES.
THEY NEED PEOPLE TO CHANGE
THEIR DIAPERS.
THESE ARE NOT ALL THE CHILDREN.
SOME OF THEM THAT COULDN'T WALK
ARE NOT HERE.
BUT WE ARE REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE
AT THAT SCHOOL.
MY BASIC CONCERN IS THIS:
THE SCHOOL DID NOT HAVE
TO BE CLOSED.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $900,000.
EVERY TIME A SCHOOL CLOSES
IN DETROIT, IT MEANS THAT
SOMETIMES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
ARE LOST-- YOU GOT ALL THESE
BOARDED UP SCHOOLS.
YOU GOT SCHOOLS THAT ARE
REALLY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT IS TRYING TO THRIVE.
ONCE THE SCHOOL CLOSES--
THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOES DOWN.
THAT IS WHAT YOU SEE IN DETROIT.
YOU BLAME IT ON ALL THESE
OTHER THINGS, AND ALL THE THINGS
THAT IS HAPPENING.
BUT WHEN YOU CLOSE A SCHOOL,
YOU KILL A NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS SCHOOL IS SITTING RIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD
WITH NO SCHOOLS.
IF YOU GO OVER THERE YOU
WILL SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT WE JUST LEFT.
I JUST MET SOME PEOPLE THAT WERE
TAKING OUT THE COMPUTERS,
AND THE BOOKS, AND ET CETERA.
AND I ASK THEM, COULD THEY
KIND OF SLOW THIS DOWN
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT FINISHED.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP FIGHTING
UNTIL WE GET THAT SCHOOL
OPENED UP-- WHY?
BECAUSE WE DID GO TO THE OTHER
SCHOOLS THAT THEY ARE TRYING
TO SEND OUR CHILDREN TO.
NOBLE AND HENDERSON SCHOOL.
THEY ARE NOT PREPARED FOR
OUR CHILDREN.
ONCE WE WENT OVER THERE TO SEE
THE SCHOOL, THEN WE TOOK
THE CHILDREN WITH THEM.
ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, WHICH IS
NOBLE, HAS GANG ACTIVITY.
WHEN THEY SAW OUR CHILDREN
OUT THERE, THE GANG CAME OUT
AND STARTED HARASSING
OUR CHILDREN.
WE WERE THERE-- WE SAW THIS.
THEY LAUGHED AT OUR CHILDREN.
THEY GRABBED THEIR SIGNS,
AND THEY TORE THEM UP.
WOULD YOU PUT YOUR CHILD
IN A SCHOOL THAT IS
NOT SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS
OF CHILDREN, SUCH AS
THESE CHILDREN?
THEY ARE NORMAL.
THEY ARE NORMAL.
THEY ARE CHILDREN.
THEY JUST HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS.
BUT WHEN OTHER CHILDREN
SEE THEM, THEY BEGIN
TO TREAT THEM DIFFERENTLY.
IN THEIR SCHOOL,
ALL THE CHILDREN ARE TREATED
THE SAME.
THEY HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE
NOT SPECIAL NEEDS.
BUT THEY ALL HONOR EACH OTHER.
THE SCHOOL IS FULL OF PARENTS
THAT COME EVERY DAY.
IT IS A SCHOOL OF A LOT OF LOVE,
AND A LOT OF FULFILLMENT
FOR THE CHILDREN'S NEEDS.
THEY DO EVERYTHING.
I HAVE BEEN THERE.
YOU SHOULD GO TO OAKMAN.
IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE
FOR YEARS.
THE REASON IT IS IN EXISTENCE
IS BECAUSE OF THESE CHILDREN
AND THEIR NEEDS.
IT IS UNIQUE.
WHY WOULD YOU CLOSE A SCHOOL
DOWN FOR $900,000, WHEN IT'S
COSTING YOU ALMOST THAT MUCH
TO SUPPOSEDLY REPAIR
THE TWO SCHOOLS, AND GET THEM
READY FOR THE CHILDREN?
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
I SAY KEEP THE CHILDREN THERE.
MAKE SURE THE SCHOOL
DOES NOT CLOSE-- AND THEN,
EVERYBODY WILL BE HAPPY.
THE WHOLE CITY WILL BE HAPPY.
YOU WILL BE HAPPY.
AND ESPECIALLY THE CHILDREN
WILL BE HAPPY.
BECAUSE, THEY ARE FREE.
THEY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES.
LOOK AT THEM.
YOU DON'T SEE ANYBODY
RUNNING AROUND ACTING A FOOL.
ALL YOU SEE IS CHILDREN
THAT HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS,
AND THEY ARE HERE
TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES.
THEIR PARENTS ARE HERE.
AND WE ARE HERE.
WE LOVE OUR CHILDREN.
WE LOVE OUR SCHOOL.
AND WE WANT YOU TO HELP US
KEEP THAT SCHOOL OPEN.
AND YOU CAN, BECAUSE IT WORKS.
THE GRADES ARE GOOD.
EVERYBODY IS DOING FINE.
IF IT AIN'T BROKE, WHY FIX IT?
SO THAT'S MY WHOLE SPEECH,
OKAY-- AND BEFORE I GO,
I GOT TO GIVE YOU A BIBLE.
REMEMBER THE STORY OF JOSEPH.
THOSE OF YOU THAT READ
THE BIBLE.
REMEMBER WHAT HIS BROTHERS
DID TO HIM?
THEY TRIED TO KILL HIM.
THEY SOLD HIM INTO SLAVERY.
BUT WHEN JOSEPH FORGAVE
HIS FAMILY AT THE END,
WHAT DID HE SAY?
WHAT DID HE SAY TO THEM,
WHEN JOSEPH ROSE UP TO BE
THE GOVERNOR OF THAT
PARTICULAR STATE?
HE SAID, "YOU MEANT IT FOR EVIL,
"BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD."
AND SO, WHO MADE THIS DECISION
MEANT IT FOR EVIL.
BUT GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD.
NO WAY CAN YOU TREAT CHILDREN
LIKE THIS, AND IT NOT HAPPEN
FOR THEIR GOOD,
AND FOR THEIR SAKE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS
CYNTHIA LOW, AND FOLLOWING HER
IS DUNAMIS ARCHER.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY.
>> HELLO.
>> AGAIN, I AM CYNTHIA LOW,
AND I AM A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST.
I LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR
FORTY YEARS.
I HAVE SEEN MANY CHANGES.
BUT THIS SCHOOL IS SPECIAL.
MY SISTER, WHO IS TWO YEARS
OLDER THAN ME, SHE ATTENDED
THAT SCHOOL-- SHE HAD
A BAD HEART WHEN SHE WAS
A YOUNG PERSON.
AND THEY BUSSED HER OVER
TO THAT SCHOOL.
AND SHE WOULD COME HOME
AND TELL US ABOUT THAT SCHOOL.
THERE WERE CHILDREN THERE
WITH BURNS.
THEY WERE TAUGHT WHEN YOU
COME IN THE DOOR, IF YOU SEE
A CHILD DIFFERENT-- SHE DIDN'T
LOOK DIFFERENT.
SHE HAD A BAD HEART,
SO SHE LOOKED NORMAL.
WHAT WE CONSIDER NORMAL.
SHE WAS TOLD, "YOU CAN'T
"MAKE FUN OF THESE KIDS.
"YOU CAN'T SAY THOSE THINGS
"TO THEM."
THAT SCHOOL HAS ALWAYS
BEEN LIKE THAT.
WHEN YOU WALK IN,
THERE IS A SPECIAL ATMOSPHERE.
NOW, I AM RETIRED.
I RETIRED FROM THE CITY
OF DETROIT.
SO IN 2010 THEY ASKED PEOPLE
TO COME IN, AND TUTOR
THE LITTLE 4 YEAR OLDS,
SO THEY WOULD HAVE AN EARLY
START IN READING.
SO I VOLUNTEERED TO DO THAT.
AND I WENT UP THERE,
AND WALKED INTO THE CLASSROOM
TO TUTOR THE 4 YEAR OLDS.
TWO OF THE CHILDREN IN THE CLASS
HAD TRACHEOTOMIES.
ONE LITTLE GIRL WALKED ON
HER LEGS OR SOMETHING.
OTHER CHILDREN WERE
DISADVANTAGED-- HANDICAPPED.
BUT THEY WERE NOT TREATED
ANY DIFFERENTLY.
I HAVE NEVER EVER-- AND I
ATTENDED ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS--
SEEN A SCHOOLS WHERE NOBODY
PICKED AT ANYBODY.
WHERE EVERYBODY TRIED TO HELP.
THE LITTLE 4 YEAR OLDS
WERE TAUGHT TO HELP
THE OTHER CHILDREN.
THESE CHILDREN COME OUT OF
THE SCHOOL ARE SPECIAL,
BECAUSE THEY LEARN TO HELP
EACH OTHER.
THEY LEARN SYMPATHY.
THEY LEARN TO EMPATHIZE WITH
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT LIKE THEM.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE IT.
WE'RE CLOSING A JEWEL.
AND I AM QUITE CONCERNED
WITH THE FACT THAT
THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT
INFORMED OF THIS-- THE WAY THIS
WAS DONE WAS JUST--
OUR RIGHTS-- I AM
A TAXPAYER FOR FOUR YEARS.
THEY JUST OVERRODE OUR RIGHTS.
NOBODY IS TALKING TO US.
THIS SITUATION HERE--
WE CAME OUT HERE,
AND SPOKE WITH YOU.
THIS IS THE MOST HELP
WE'VE GOT-- WE DON'T WANT
THAT SCHOOL CLOSED.
THAT SCHOOL NEEDS TO BE THERE.
AS I UNDERSTAND--
WHEN THE SCHOOL CLOSES--
THERE ARE SIGNS AROUND IT.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS
YOU CAN'T DO AROUND SCHOOLS.
THE POLICE COME QUICKER
WHEN THERE'S A SCHOOL
IN THE COMMUNITY.
ONCE THAT SCHOOL GOES,
THAT WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD
IS GOING DOWN.
IT JUST AFFECTS
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
BUT ESPECIALLY
THE EDUCATION OF THE CHILDREN.
I SAW THE CHILDREN.
I TUTORED LITTLE KIDS
WHO ARE LEARNING TO READ.
IT IS JUST WAS
A LOVING EXPERIENCE.
I COME HERE WITH AN OPEN HEART.
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WHEN YOU CLOSE SCHOOLS--
THERE ARE PEOPLE BEHIND
WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
I WANT YOU TO SEE OUR FACES.
SEE OUR FACES, AND UNDERSTAND
THAT WE WERE NOT TOLD
THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE
TO PUT OUR INPUT IN.
OUR SCHOOL WAS JUST BEING
CLOSED, AND I DON'T THINK
THE SCHOOL WAS IN THAT BAD
OF CONDITION.
I'M LOOKING AT OTHER SCHOOLS,
AND I DO KNOW FOR A FACT--
DURFEE AND NOBLE
HAVE A LOT OF FIGHTING.
I HAVE NEVER HEARD
OF A FIGHT AT OAKMAN.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY
HAS EVER HEARD OF A SCHOOL
WHERE THERE'S NO FIGHTING.
YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT
FIGHTS AT OAKMAN.
THE CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT
TO LOVE EACH OTHER, BECAUSE
THEY SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE
DIFFERENT, AND THEY ARE
TAUGHT TO WORK TOGETHER.
THAT IS NOT LIKE THAT
AT NOBLE, AND THEY ARE
GOING TO BE SEGREGATED.
JUST LIKE BACK IN THE OLD
DAYS, WHEN THE CHILDREN--
WHEN YOU WERE DIFFERENT
YOU HAD TO GO TO A
DIFFERENT SCHOOL.
YOU DIDN'T LOOK LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE, SO YOU WERE PUT
IN THE BACK CORNER SOMEWHERE.
IT'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING
ON THERE, THAT I'M QUITE SURE
ALL OF YOU DIDN'T KNOW,
AND YOU WEREN'T TOLD.
I'M QUITE SURE
THE EMERGENCY MANAGER
DOESN'T KNOW, BECAUSE I THINK
HE IS JUST GETTING INFORMATION
FROM ONE-- HE IS NOT GETTING
THE WHOLE STORY.
I JUST COME TO YOU WITH
AN OPEN HEART, AND JUST
ASK YOU, PLEASE HELP US
SAVE THAT SCHOOL.
BECAUSE IT WILL
SAVE THE COMMUNITY.
IT WILL BE GOOD
FOR THE CHILDREN.
IT WILL JUST BE A BLESSING
ALL THE WAY AROUND,
AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU MA'AM.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS DUNAMIS ARCHER,
FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA CALDWELL.
WHENEVER YOU ARE READY.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
HI, I'M DUNAMIS ARCHER.
I AM FORMER STUDENT OF
OAKMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
MY CONCERN IS
THE EDUCATION STANDPOINT.
I HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE
I WAS PROBABLY ABOUT
12 OR 13 YEARS OLD NOW.
I NEVER BEEN SO ADVANCED
IN MY LIFE FROM THEIR EDUCATION.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN CHALLENGED...
...IN A WAY TO WHERE
I REALLY AM USING MY MIND.
YOU KNOW, AND THEY LET ME
BE INDEPENDENT.
YOU KNOW, THEY TREAT ME
AS EQUAL AS ANYBODY ELSE
THAT GOES TO THAT SCHOOL.
I JUST CANNOT SEE IT CLOSE DOWN.
I CONSIDER THAT MY HOME
IN SO MANY WAYS.
AS I LOOK BACK AT ALL
THE MEMORIES THAT I HAVE.
IT'S BEEN GREAT.
THEY JUST CHALLENGE ME
TO KEEP ON DOING WHAT I HAVE
TO DO TO MAKE THE GRADE.
FROM WHEN I REALLY WANTED
TO READ WITHOUT PICTURES--
THEY ACTUALLY TOOK EVERY
PICTURE BOOK I HAD IN MY CLASS,
AND THEY TOOK IT OUT.
THEY GAVE ME ACTUAL BOOKS
WITHOUT ANY PICTURES,
AND THEY GAVE ME A TIME LIMIT,
SO I COULD READ.
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HARD,
THEY GAVE ME ENCOURAGEMENT,
SO I COULD KEEP ON DOING
WHAT I HAD TO DO.
I WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE
FOR THAT, BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW
THAT I COULD DO THE THINGS
THAT I WAS CAPABLE OF
UNTIL I WENT TO OAKMAN.
I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING
IF YOU CLOSE THIS SCHOOL.
I HAVE HAD SO MUCH
DETERMINATION BY STAYING
BEHIND AT THAT SCHOOL.
I WENT TO ANOTHER SCHOOL,
AND WORKED OFF, AND REALLY
WORKED ALL NIGHT AND DAY
UNTIL I GOT IN MY RIGHT GRADE.
NOW, I CAN SAY THAT
I AM IN MY RIGHT GRADE,
BECAUSE ON MY STUDIES
EVERY NIGHT AND DAY.
I CAN HONESTLY SAY
THAT I AM IN THE NATIONAL
JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY.
I HAVE BEEN NON-STOP
ON THE HONOR ROLL.
SO THERE IS NOTHING THAT
I CAN REALLY SAY THAT'S
NEGATIVE THING ABOUT OAKMAN.
I CANNOT SEE THIS SCHOOL
CLOSED DOWN FOR ANYTHING
IN MY LIFE.
JUST KNOWING THAT OAKMAN
HAS LAID THE FOUNDATION
FOR ME TO KEEP ON DOING
WHAT I HAVE TO DO
TO MAKE THE GRADE.
THAT'S ALL I PRETTY
MUCH HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS CYNTHIA CALDWELL,
FOLLOWED BY ALIYA MOORE.
>> HELLO.
>> HELLO.
>> I SPEAK FROM MY HEART
AS A PARENT OF OAKMAN STUDENTS.
I HAVE A CHILD
THAT'S 10 YEARS OLD.
I CAME TO OAKMAN BRINGING HER
FROM ANOTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL,
THAT WAS A PROMINENT SCHOOL
IN DETROIT, BUT THEY COULD
NOT ACCOMMODATE HER,
BECAUSE SHE IS SELF-CONTAINED,
COGNITIVE SEIZURE--
A LOT OF UNDERLYING PROBLEMS.
BUT AS A WHOLE,
WHEN I WALKED
THROUGH THAT DOOR.
THE PRINCIPAL GREETED ME,
AND THE FIRST THING
I NOTICED WAS A CHILD
WITH NO LEGS.
SHE WAS CRAWLING ACROSS
THE FLOOR WORKING
HER WAY TO HER ROOM.
THAT IS A SELF SUFFICIENT
SCHOOL THAT TEACHES THE KIDS
TO BE VERY INDEPENDENT.
MY MAIN CONCERN IS--
I TOOK MY CHILD FROM
A PROMINENT PUBLIC SCHOOL.
BROUGHT HER TO A SCHOOL.
THE OTHER SCHOOL SHE WAS IN
OVERLOOKED HER.
I SAT IN THE CLASS
AS A VOLUNTEER PARENT.
I WATCHED THESE TEACHERS
JUST WALK AROUND MY CHILD
LIKE SHE WASN'T THERE.
TOOK HER TO OAKMAN.
SHE WENT FROM NOT ABLE
TO READ THE WORD, "THE."
IN A YEAR AND A HALF,
SHE WAS READING
AT A 2ND GRADE LEVEL.
THEY TAKE INTEREST
IN THEIR CHILDREN.
EDUCATIONAL.
I WAS TOLD BY A TEACHER
WHEN I FIRST ENTERED
THE BUILDING THAT HAPPENED
TO BE MY CHILD'S FIRST
PRE-SCHOOL TEACHER.
SHE SAID, "I WANT YOU TO KNOW.
"THIS PRINCIPAL OVER HERE
"RUNS THIS PLACE LIKE AN ARMY.
"SHE DOES NOT ALLOW ANY
"OF THE TEACHERS TO NEGLECT
"ANY OF THESE KIDS."
OKAY, I LIKE TO SAY THIS.
MY CHILD-- I ADOPTED TWO GIRLS.
THEY ALREADY STARTED OFF WRONG.
I WANT TO GIVE THEM
A BETTER LIFE.
THE ONLY WAY I CAN DO THAT
IS TO TRY TO PUT THEM
IN THE BEST PLACE I CAN.
I FOUND A PLACE THAT
WORKED VERY WELL
WITH ALL THESE KIDS.
MY CHILD IS 10 YEARS OLD,
AND SHE'S BEEN IN FIVE SCHOOLS.
SHE STARTED IN SCHOOL
FOR THE DEAF.
SHE WENT TO HARDING.
THEY SHUT THE SCHOOL DOWN.
SHE WENT TO ANN ARBOR TRAIL--
ONE OF THE BETTER SCHOOLS.
THEY TOLD ME,
"I CAN'T ACCOMMODATE HER."
SHE WENT TO MAE JEMISON.
THEY SHUT THE SCHOOL DOWN.
SHE WENT TO OAKMAN.
YOU'RE SHUTTING IT DOWN.
THEY WANT TO SEND HER TO DURFEE.
I WENT OVER THERE YESTERDAY
TO VISIT THE SCHOOL.
ONE OF THE SECURITY GUARDS
TOLD ME, POINT BLANK,
"YOU DON'T WANT YOUR KID
"TO COME HERE.
"ESPECIALLY A SPECIAL NEEDS KID.
"THIS SCHOOL IS DANGEROUS.
"IT IS VIOLENT IN THIS AREA.
"THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS VERY POOR."
SO BASICALLY I AM TELLING YOU
FROM MY FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE.
THAT SCHOOL WOULD BE
THE WORST EDUCATIONAL HARM
TO TAKE THAT SCHOOL AWAY
FROM THESE KIDS.
THEY THRIVE VERY WELL.
THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS ALIYA MOORE,
FOLLOWED BY MAYEWAH BAUM.
>> HELLO.
>> HELLO.
>> LET ME FIRST SAY,
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO COME TO YOUR MEETING.
MY NAME IS MS. MOORE.
I AM THE PRESIDENT
OF THE PARENT GROUP
AT OAKMAN ORTHOPEDIC.
IS HE ASLEEP?
>> WHAT?
>> I WAS JUST SAYING--
I DIDN'T KNOW IF HE WAS--
>> NO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> RESTING HIS EYES.
>> I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION
OF WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON.
OUR EMERGENCY MANAGER WAS
ROY ROBERTS WHEN HE CAME
IN ON APRIL 10, AND
ANNOUNCED THE OAKMAN
WOULD BE CLOSING.
FIRST, OAKMAN HAS
A POPULATION OF ABOUT
315 STUDENTS, AND ABOUT 40%
OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE DISABLED.
SO WE ARE TALKING
CEREBRAL PALSY,
SPINAL BIFIDA, SEVERE BRAIN
INJURIES, COLOSTOMY BAGS,
SEVERE SEIZURES.
WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN THAT
SCHOOL FOR OUR KIDS ALREADY.
WE HAVE THE NURSING INFIRMARY,
PHYSICAL THERAPY STATIONS,
SPEECH THERAPY ROOMS.
EVERYTHING.
IT WAS BUILT
FOR OUR KIDS IN 1928.
ROY ROBERTS CAME IN WITH
NO RESPECT WHATSOEVER.
HE PULLED THE WELFARE
STATEMENT ON US.
I GUESS TRYING TO RELATE TO US.
I DON'T KNOW HOW.
BUT HE SAID HE HAD BEEN
ON WELFARE, AND ALSO
WE'RE NOT HAVING BLACK
BABIES LIKE WE USED TO.
THOSE WERE HIS EXACT WORDS.
HE ALSO THREATENED STAFF
BY SAYING WHEN THE MEDIA
IS CALLED, THAT'S WHEN
PEOPLE GET LAID OFF.
THE WHOLE CLOSURE
WAS UNDER SECRET.
IT WAS JUST A BIG SECRET.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT,
ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL NOW.
WE FEEL VERY DISRESPECTED
AS PARENTS.
WE HAVE BEEN RIDING
BY NOBLE AND HENDERSON,
WHERE THEY WANT
TO SEND OUR KIDS TO.
THEY ARE DOING
ABSOLUTELY NO RENOVATION.
BUT YET, THEY TELL US,
"OH, EVERYTHING WILL BE
"READY AND EQUIPPED FOR
"YOUR STUDENTS BY SEPTEMBER."
AND SINCE DPS HAS BEEN
CALLING PARENTS, "CUSTOMERS,"
WE HAVE HAD ABSOLUTELY
NO CUSTOMER SERVICE.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE
NOT TRIED TO REACH OUT
TO ROY ROBERTS, AS WELL
AS TO THE NEW JACK MARTIN.
AND WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN
ANY COMMUNICATION.
WE ALSO SENT A COUPLE OF
LETTERS TO GOVERNOR SNYDER.
WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN
ANY CONTACTS BACK.
HE TOLD MS. MILDRED GADDIS,
THE RADIO PERSONALITY,
ON THE RADIO THAT HE WOULD
LOOK AT IT, AND CHECK IT OUT.
HE WILL COME VISIT OUR SCHOOL.
HE HAS NOT YET TO DO THAT.
OUR SCHOOL WAS BEING
CLOSED ON LIES.
I BROUGHT A PACKET
FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
I WOULD LOVE YOU
TO PLEASE LOOK AT IT.
IT IS VERY BRIEF, VERY SHORT.
BUT WE WERE SPONSORED
TODAY BY 91-YEAR-OLD
ALUMNUS STUDENT.
HE HEARD ABOUT THE CLOSING,
AND HE OFFERED TO GET US
TRANSPORTATION TO COME HERE.
SO THIS IS A VERY
IMPORTANT SCHOOL.
NOBLE IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS
THAT THEY WANT US
TO SEND OUR KIDS TO.
IT CURRENTLY HAS 550 STUDENTS.
THEY HAVE OPEN ASBESTOS.
WE TOOK PICTURES, AND THAT
IS IN PART OF THE PACKET,
AND THEY HAVE MOLD.
YOU GO IN THE BUILDING,
AND IT IS AN INSTANT
SMELL OF MOLD.
THAT WILL DESTROY OUR STUDENTS.
A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS
ALREADY HAVE IMMUNE
DEFICIENCIES, AND THE PROBLEMS
WITH THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM.
AND I AM NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT
OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS.
I AM TALKING ABOUT
STUDENTS IN A WHOLE.
THAT BUILDING HAS ABSOLUTELY
NO REASON TO BE OPEN AS OF NOW.
AT HENDERSON,
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A
POPULATION OF 917 STUDENTS.
SO OUR SMALL GROUP OF KIDS,
315, ARE GOING TO GO
IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS
AND GET DESTROYED.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE
TORMENTED, TEASED,
BULLIED, PICKED ON,
AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE PUT
IN AN ISOLATED FACILITY.
BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL,
OUR KIDS CAN GO ANYWHERE.
THEY CAN GO INTO GREEN HOUSE.
THEY CAN GO INTO THE AUDITORIUM,
AND PERFORM ON STAGE.
BOTH OF THESE SCHOOLS,
THE KIDS WILL HAVE TO BE
ON AUDIENCE LEVEL BECAUSE
THERE IS NO RENOVATIONS.
EVERYTHING THAT THEY
TELL US IS ASSURING US.
EVERYTHING IS ASSURING,
BUT WE HAVE NO FACTS.
WE HAVE NOTHING IN WRITING,
A TIMELINE OF REPAIRS.
WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY
NONE OF THESE THINGS.
AND WE CAME UP HERE TODAY
BECAUSE WE NEED HELP.
YOU GUYS MAY NOT BE ABLE
TO REVERSE IT, BUT YOU
CAN PUT PRESSURE.
BECAUSE IT IS TIME FOR PEOPLE
TO STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT
INSTEAD OF COMPROMISING
JUST TO MAKE MONEY.
AND THESE KIDS ARE OUR
FUTURE, AND IF YOU SAY
YOU LOVE OUR KIDS,
AND YOU CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS--
WHATEVER NATIONALITY,
WHATEVER DISABILITY THAT THEY
HAVE-- THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.
EVERYONE SITTING IN THIS
ROOM CAN DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THIS.
REGARDLESS, OF IF YOU
CANNOT REVERSE THE DECISION.
YOU CAN PUT PRESSURE
ON PEOPLE THAT CAN DO IT.
BECAUSE, WE DID NOT
COME UP HERE FOR NOTHING.
WE ARE GETTING TOTALLY
DISRESPECTED AS PARENTS
IN DETROIT.
YOU KNOW, THE MEDIA PORTRAYS
DETROIT PEOPLE AS NOT CARING.
WE CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS.
WE HAVE PARENTS, FATHERS
THAT COME TO OUR SCHOOL,
NOT JUST DROP OFF
AND KEEP GOING.
THEY COME UP.
THEY ARE ACTIVE.
WE JUST NEED HELP.
SO THAT'S WHY WE CAME UP
HERE TODAY, AND I WOULD LOVE
FOR YOU TO TAKE OUR PACKET,
AND JUST LOOK AT IT.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER
IS MAEWAH VANG, AND I'M SORRY
IF I'M SAYING YOUR NAME WRONG.
[ INDISTINCT CHATTER ]
>> OKAY.
DR. TOM PEDRONI.
IS HE HERE?
HE IS GOING TO BE
FOLLOWED BY JANEA WAYNE.
>> HELLO, STATE BOARD
OF EDUCATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
GIVING ALL OF US THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M ALSO GOING TO BE
SPEAKING IN RELATION TO
THE INTENDED CLOSURE
OF OAKMAN SCHOOL.
I'M AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
OF CURRICULUM STUDIES
AND POLICY SOCIOLOGY
AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY.
WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
BRIEFLY IS THE CASE THAT
WAS MADE FOR CLOSING OAKMAN,
AND HOW NONE OF THE CLAIMS
ABOUT THE NEED TO
CLOSE OAKMAN HAVE
BEEN SUBSTANTIATED.
IN FACT, A SIGNIFICANT
COUNTER EVIDENCE.
THE OUTGOING, FORMER EMERGENCY
MANAGER ROY ROBERTS STATED
IN ONE OF HIS LAST STATEMENTS
IN APRIL WHEN THE DISTRICT
WAS LAYING OUT A NEW
STRATEGIC DIRECTION,
THAT HE HAD RECOGNIZED
THAT THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS--
DOZENS EVERY YEAR--
WAS ACTUALLY A MISTAKE.
HE CALLED IT A PLAN FOR FAILURE.
WE WERE HAPPY TO HEAR THAT
RATHER THAN CLOSING TWENTY
EIGHT INTENDED SCHOOLS--
HE WAS ONLY GOING TO CLOSE FOUR.
HE MENTIONED THE HEAVINESS
WITH WHICH HE ANNOUNCED
EVEN THOSE FOUR SCHOOLS.
HE SAID HE TOOK IT WITH
UTTER SERIOUSNESS BECAUSE
HE REALIZED THE IMPACT ON
THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND ON
THE CHILDREN, AND SO ON.
OF THOSE FOUR, AS YOU'VE HEARD,
OAKMAN WAS ONE OF THE FOUR.
I SERIOUSLY QUESTION
THE SERIOUSNESS OF HIS DECISION.
I WILL TELL YOU WHY NOW.
THE REASONS THAT WERE LISTED,
AND THIS IS FROM THE DPS SITE.
THESE ARE ALL DOCUMENTS
THAT I HAVE, AND THAT
I WILL SHARE BY EMAIL WITH
THE STATE BOARD AFTER THIS
MEETING SO THAT YOU CAN
SEE THEM YOURSELVES.
THE CLAIMS WERE-- THREE--
THAT THE BUILDING
HAD $900,000 WORTH
OF MAINTENANCE UPGRADES.
THAT THE BUILDING HAD
DECLINED IN ENROLLMENT
BY 50% SINCE 2009.
AND THAT THE BUILDING ONLY
288 STUDENTS OFFICIALLY,
WITH A CAPACITY OF 446.
I'LL TAKE THOSE CLAIMS IN
REVERSE ORDER VERY QUICKLY.
THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT
THE ALLEGED DECLINE
OF STUDENT ENROLLMENT.
THE STATEMENT WAS MADE
THAT ENROLLMENT HAD
DECLINED BY 50% SINCE 2009.
WELL, IT IS VERY EASY TO
GO ON THE DPS WEBSITE,
AND TO LOOK AT THE ACTUAL
ENROLLMENT FIGURES SINCE 2009.
ACTUALLY, GOING BACK
MORE THAN A DECADE.
THEY ARE ALL POSTED THERE.
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU
GO THERE IS THAT 2009
ENROLLMENT WAS 270.
NOW, OFFICIALLY IT IS 288.
IT HAS BEEN ABOVE 270
EVERY YEAR SINCE 2009,
INCLUDING THIS YEAR.
SO, SO MUCH FOR THE SERIOUSNESS
OF THE CLAIM THAT PART OF IT
IS 50% ENROLLMENT DECLINE.
THE NEXT PIECE IS
THE PIECE ABOUT CAPACITY.
IT IS STATED IN THE OFFICIAL
RATIONALE, THAT THE SCHOOL IS
ONLY AT 50% OF IT'S CAPACITY,
WHICH IS LISTED AT 446.
WELL, THE FIRST THING
ONE NOTICES IS THAT
288 IS ACTUALLY 65%
OF CAPACITY, NOT 50%.
BUT EVEN MORE TROUBLING
IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK
AT CAPACITY GOING BACK TO
2003, THAT IN 2003
THE CAPACITY OF THE BUILDING
WAS LISTED AT 290.
THEY ARE CURRENTLY
OFFICIALLY AT 288,
UNOFFICIALLY ABOVE THAT.
IF YOU GO AT 288,
THAT MEANS THE SCHOOL
IS AT 99.3% OF CAPACITY,
ACCORDING TO THE 2003 RATES.
SINCE 2003, THERE HAS BEEN
NO CHANGE IN THE SIZE
OF THE BUILDING.
THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN
THE PROGRAM OF THE SCHOOL
AS FAR AS THE GRADE LEVELS OR
THE MIX OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
TO REGULAR EDUCATION.
IN FACT, I INTERVIEWED
LEADERS AT THE SCHOOL,
WHO TOLD ME IN NO UNCERTAIN
TERMS, THAT THEY HAD
NEVER BEEN CONSULTED ABOUT
THE INCREASING CAPACITY,
AND COULDN'T DEFEND WHY
THIS CAPACITY WAS CHANGED
FROM 290 TO 446.
ALL THEY COULD DO WAS SPECULATE.
WE WENT THROUGH, AND WE
CALCULATED HOW THEY WOULD
LIKELY COME TO 290,
AND THEY ARE AT 288 NOW.
WE USED ADA GUIDELINES,
AND THAT IS MICHIGAN STATE
LAWS AND THAT IS EXACTLY
WHAT WE CAME TO WAS 290.
WE TRIED TO SPECULATE
ABOUT WHERE THEY GOT 446 FROM.
IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY CRASS
CALCULATION OF THE NUMBER
OF CLASSROOMS TIMES
A REGULAR EDUCATION
POPULATION FOR EACH
CLASSROOM, ACCORDING TO
THE DISTRICT'S GUIDELINES.
WHERE THAT LEADS US
IS THAT THE SCHOOL--
AT LEAST ACCORDING
TO GUIDELINES USING
A COMBINATION OF MICHIGAN
STATE LAW FOR STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES-- AS YOU
PROBABLY KNOW, POE HIGH
STUDENTS ARE LIMITED 10-15
PER TEACHER, TO ONLY TEN
IN THE CLASSROOM AT ONCE.
SO A COMBINATION OF THAT,
AND LOOKING AT THE STATE'S
LIMITS FOR REGULAR EDUCATION
OR THE DISTRICT'S LIMITS
FOR REGULAR EDUCATION
CLASSROOMS, WHICH IN
THE PAST YEAR WAS THIRTY THREE.
IF YOU IGNORE THE POE HIGH
LIMITS, YOU CAN GET
THE 446 NUMBER.
OTHERWISE, THE SCHOOL
IS VERY CLOSE TO FULL
CAPACITY RIGHT NOW.
THE THIRD MATTER
IS THE $900 THOUSAND
OF ALLEGED MAINTENANCE NEEDS.
THE STAFF AT
THE SCHOOL DISPUTE THAT.
NOW, BECAUSE I WAS SO
ALARMED BY BOTH OF
THOSE LATTER TWO CLAIMS--
THE ENROLLMENT ONE,
THAT IT DECLINED 50% WAS
VERY EASY TO DISPROVE.
BUT THE OTHER TWO, FOR
THE CAPACITY-- THAT ARGUMENT
THAT THE SCHOOL WAS ONLY
AT 50% OF IT'S CAPACITY,
AND THE ARGUMENT OF $900,000
OF MAINTENANCE NEEDS.
I FILED A FREEDOM
OF INFORMATION ACT
REQUEST WITH THE DISTRICT.
ACTUALLY, FIRST IN LATE MAY,
I CONTACTED THE SPOKESPERSON
FOR THE DISTRICT, STEVE WASKO.
NEVER HEARD BACK FROM HIM
IN OVER A MONTH, WHEN I JUST
ASKED HIM IN A FRIENDLY WAY,
IS THIS STILL CURRENTLY
THE RATIONALE, AND CAN YOU
EXPLAIN WHERE THE $900,000
CAME FROM, AND WHY CAPACITY
IS LISTED AS 446 CURRENTLY.
OVER A MONTH, AND NO RESPONSE.
SO I FILED A FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION ACT CLAIM.
AFTER THREE WEEKS,
AND I WILL SHARE THESE
DOCUMENTS WITH YOU
BECAUSE I HAVE THEM.
I GOT BACK A TWO-PAGE FOIA
AFTER THE LEGAL AMOUNT
OF TIME THAT A FOIA
IS ALLOWED TO BE FULFILLED.
A TWO-PAGE FOIA.
ONE LINE ON EACH PAGE.
THE PAGE IN RESPONSE TO MY
QUESTION ABOUT CAPACITY--
I HAD ASKED, "WHY WAS
"THE CAPACITY CHANGED
"FROM 290 TO 446?
"IT INCREASED OVER 50%."
THE ANSWER WAS ONE-LINE
INDICATION OF THE CURRENT
ENROLLMENT OF THE SCHOOL
BY GRADE.
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH
THE QUESTION OF CAPACITY.
THE SECOND PAGE ALSO HAD
ONE SINGLE LINE, AND IT
WAS ABOUT THE-- IT WAS
IN RESPONSE TO MY REQUEST
ABOUT, "PLEASE DELINEATE
"THE $900,000 WORTH
"OF MAINTENANCE FEES."
IT WAS A SINGLE LINE THAT
OUTLINED THE YEAR-BY-YEAR
OPERATING COSTS FOR THE SCHOOL.
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH
AN ITEMIZATION OF MAINTENANCE
CONCERNS FOR THE SCHOOL.
SO WHAT I WANT TO DO,
IN FINISHING, IS TO SAY
THAT THE REASONS THAT WERE
GIVEN TO THE PARENTS HAVE
NOT BEEN SUBSTANTIATED
BY THE DISTRICT AT ALL.
THE VERY FACT THAT
THE DISTRICT WOULD RESPOND
TO MY FOIA REQUEST, WHICH
IS A LEGALLY BINDING REQUEST,
WITH TWO PAGES THAT
HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH
THE QUESTION ASKED.
THAT HAD ONE LINE ON EACH PAGE,
SAYS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM
OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
A LEGAL PROBLEM, AND ALSO
A DEMOCRATIC PROBLEM
OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
I THINK THAT IS WHY
PARENTS ARE HERE TODAY
TO SPEAK WITH ALL OF YOU.
BECAUSE, I KNOW THAT YOUR
RESPONSE MAY BE, "THIS IS
"AN ISSUE OF LOCAL CONTROL."
THIS IS MY LAST PARAGRAPH.
I KNOW THAT YOUR RESPONSE
MAY BE, "THIS IS AN ISSUE
"OF LOCAL CONTROL.
"IT IS UP TO THE DISTRICT,
"AND THEY SHOULD BE THE
"ONES TO HANDLE IT."
WE DON'T HAVE LOCAL
CONTROL IN DETROIT.
THERE IS NO DETROIT BOARD
WITH AUTHORITY THAT CAN
LISTEN TO PARENTS' TESTIMONY,
AND IF IT SO CHOOSES,
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
THERE IS NO ELECTED
DETROIT BOARD THAT CAN BE
HELD ACCOUNTABLE THROUGH
VOTES, WHERE WE SAY,
"GREAT-- DON'T LISTEN TO US.
"BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO
"GET YOU OUT OF OFFICE NEXT
"TIME, AND PUT TOGETHER
"PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE
"RESPONSIVE ON THE BOARD."
THERE IS NONE OF THAT.
THE EMERGENCY MANAGER DOES
NOT HOLD PUBLIC SESSIONS,
IN WHICH THIS TYPE
OF TESTIMONY MAY BE
PRESENTED, AND IS NOT
ACCOUNTABLE, CERTAINLY,
TO DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS
BY THE CONSTITUENCY
THAT HE AFFECTS.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE COMING
TO YOU AS THE STATE BOARD.
BECAUSE, IT IS NOT
A SITUATION OF LOCAL CONTROL,
AND THERE IS SOMEWHERE
WHERE THESE PARENTS
NEED TO CHANGE--
IN LIGHT OF A DECISION
THAT WAS UNWARRANTED,
AND IS VERY HURTFUL TO ONE
OF THE MOST COMMENDABLE
SCHOOLS IN DETROIT,
AND I SAY THAT AS A PROFESSOR
OF CURRICULUM STUDIES, WHO IS
HIMSELF A TEACHER EDUCATOR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JANEA WAYNE,
FOLLOWED BY LESTER HUNT IV.
>> MS. JANEA WAYNE WILL
BE SPEAKING ABOUT THE EAA,
SO WE PREFER TO NOT
TAKE TIME FROM THE OPEN,
SO PARENTS CAN GO FIRST.
>> LESTER HUNT IV.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> BEFORE I START,
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY,
"GOOD AFTERNOON."
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME
TO COME HERE TODAY,
AND SPEAK WITH YOU.
TODAY, I AM HERE TO ADDRESS
THE ISSUE OF OAKMAN CLOSING.
BEFORE I READ MY PASSAGE,
THAT I WROTE-- I WOULD
JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT
OAKMAN HAS BEEN A VERY
ENCOURAGING SCHOOL.
THEY HAVE A UNIQUE STAFF
THERE, AND THEY HAVE
HELPED ME A LOT THROUGH
MY WAYS, AS BEING THERE.
NOW, I AM IN HONOR
SOCIETY AT MY SCHOOL.
I AM A STRAIGHT A STUDENT,
AND I AM GETTING VERY GOOD
GRADES, AND I WOULD LIKE
TO THANK THE TEACHERS,
AND EVERYONE THERE
THAT HELPED ME OUT.
NOW, THIS PASSAGE, I WROTE
ABOUT OAKMAN, AND ABOUT
WHY YOU SHOULD KEEP IT OPEN.
IT'S NOT VERY LONG, SO...
HI, I AM LESTER HUNT,
A FORMER STUDENT
AT OAKMAN ELEMENTARY.
I AM HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS
THE ISSUE OF OAKMAN CLOSING.
NOW, OAKMAN HAS BEEN
OPEN SINCE 1929.
IT'S BEEN OPEN EVER SINCE
MY GRANDFATHER WENT THERE--
MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER
WENT THERE.
MANY OF US ARE HIGHLY
DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE
ONE OF THE CHOICE LOCAL
NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS IS
SOON TO BE CLOSED AGAIN.
MANY PARENTS DON'T KNOW
WHERE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN.
TEACHERS WILL BE JOBLESS,
AND NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN
WILL BE SAD.
JUST THINK.
MOST PARENTS HAVE STUDENTS
THAT HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS,
AND THE NEAREST TWO
SCHOOLS ARE NOT LIKE THAT.
SOME PARENTS HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT THEIR CHILD'S
EDUCATION, BUT I SAY, "NO."
NO PARENT SHOULD HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT THEIR CHILD
GETTING A DECENT EDUCATION
IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, IN WHICH
THEIR CHILDREN CAN LEARN.
IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE A CHILD,
WHO GOES TO OAKMAN,
OR WENT THERE.
YOU HAVE TO WALK TWO MILES
EVERY DAY, JUST TO GET
AN EDUCATION.
NO CHILD SHOULD EVER
HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT.
IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT
THE CITY HAS MESSED UP ITSELF.
NOW, WE DO NOT NEED OUR
CHILDREN TO BE MESSED UP.
JUST WONDERING, HOW NERVOUS
A PARENT WOULD HAVE TO BE,
EVERY DAY, PRAYING TO GOD
THAT THEIR CHILD GETS TO
SCHOOL, AND HAS A SAFE DAY,
AND WILL BE ABLE TO COME HOME,
AND SAY, "HEY, MOM.
"I HAD A NICE DAY AT SCHOOL.
"NO BULLYING, NO NOTHING."
THAT IS HARD TO SAY,
BECAUSE THESE TWO SCHOOLS
ARE MUCH LIKE THAT.
BULLYING, HARSH ENVIRONMENTS.
AND I CAN'T SAY MORE,
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY MESSED UP.
SOME DON'T HAVE A CAR.
SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEIR
CHILDREN WALK TO SCHOOL.
JUST THINK, IN THE COLD,
HARSH WINTERS IN DETROIT,
SEEING CHILDREN WALK
THROUGH HUGE PILES OF
UN-SHOVELED SNOW.
NOW, THAT IS JUST SAD.
DETROIT HAS SPOKEN.
NOW, IT IS TIME FOR US,
THE PEOPLE, TO SPEAK OUT.
AND THAT WAS A VERY UNIQUE
PASSAGE FOR ME, BECAUSE
I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY,
IF IT WERE NOT FOR OAKMAN
HELPING ME OUT, GET AN
EXCELLENT EDUCATION.
AND RIGHT NOW I AM NOT
IN A DPS SCHOOL, BUT I AM
IN A CHARTER SCHOOL.
AND I THINK THAT
THE EMERGENCY MANAGER
ROY ROBERTS-- HE WAS REALLY
RUDE AT THE MEETING, BECAUSE
HE CUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE OFF,
AND I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE THAT.
HE CUT ONE OF MY QUESTIONS
OFF WHILE I WAS SPEAKING,
AND HE DIDN'T
ANSWER IT CORRECTLY.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE
TO SAY THAT OAKMAN IS A REALLY
GOOD SCHOOL, AND I THINK
THAT IT SHOULD STAY OPEN.
BECAUSE, WHERE WILL MOST
PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS GO?
AND SO, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME,
AND I HOPE YOU LIKE
MY AGREEMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS
XERONNA SMITH, FOLLOWED BY
VANESSA WRIGHT.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> I COME TODAY AS ONE OF
OAKMAN'S EMPLOYEES.
I AM A TEACHER AT OAKMAN.
I'VE BEEN TEACHING NOW
12 YEARS-- 3 YEARS AT
OAKMAN, AND A TOTAL OF 9 YEARS
FOR DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW FULL
I AM TODAY, BECAUSE I CAME UP
HERE, NOT LISTENING TO
THE LEFT SIDE, THE RIGHT SIDE.
PEOPLE SAYING YOU CAN'T
SUPPORT.
BUT IF YOU DO NOT STAND FOR
SOMETHING, THEN YOU WILL
FALL FOR ANYTHING.
THESE CHILDREN AT OUR SCHOOL,
THEY DESERVE A GOOD EDUCATION.
THEY DESERVE FOR PEOPLE TO
COME OUT TO A SCHOOL AND
REALIZE WHAT KIND OF GEM
THAT SCHOOL HAS TO OFFER.
WE'VE BEEN TO THE TWO SCHOOLS
THAT THEY PLAN ON SENDING
OUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN TO.
THOSE SCHOOLS ARE NOT
EQUIPPED, AND THEY ARE NOT
READY FOR WHAT WE HAVE
BEFORE US TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE CHILDREN-- THE EDUCATIONAL
HARM-- IT IS EDUCATIONAL HARM
TO PULL A CHILD FROM
A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE BEING
NURTURED, AND CARED FOR--
EVERY NEED-- AS FAR AS
THEIR EDUCATIONAL CAPACITY--
IT IS PUSHING THAT CHILD TO
THE NEXT LEVEL TO REACH
THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOAL.
IT IS A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT,
BECAUSE EVERY PERSON IN
THE SCHOOL-- PARENT, TEACHER--
THAT BRIDGE IS BEING GAPPED,
AND I KNOW IN A LOT OF
THE DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE
OF MICHIGAN, YOU MAY SAY
THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING.
BUT DETROIT HAS BEEN
IN AND OUT AND AROUND.
YOU SEE IT ON THE NEWS
ALL THE TIME.
WE NEED SOME STABILITY.
WE NEED PEOPLE FROM HERE,
FROM LANSING, FROM THE CAPITOL,
TO REALIZE THAT THE BUCK
STOPS-- IT SHOULD STOP HERE.
WE CAN'T KEEP CLOSING SCHOOLS
THAT ARE GOOD SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM--
A SUCCESS FOR ALL PROGRAM.
THE CHILDREN EXCELLED AT
THAT PROGRAM.
IT WAS BROUGHT AS A PILOT
PROGRAM AT OUR SCHOOL.
THE CHILDREN READ ABOVE ANY OF
THE PRO-PILOT SCHOOLS.
WE WERE THE HIGHEST.
WE ALSO WON THE "GO GREEN."
THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL
THINGS ABOUT OUR SCHOOL,
AND PEOPLE DON'T LOOK INTO
OUR SCHOOL AND REALIZE THAT.
I START WITH PRE-K.
I AM A PRE-K TEACHER.
SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN ARE
BUSSED FROM PRE-K-- AGE 3--
I HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE
3-4 YEARS OLD IN MY CLASS,
ALL THE WAY UP TO 5th GRADE.
THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO
HAVE CATHETERS.
THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO,
IN 4th AND 5th GRADE--
THEY STILL HAVE TO GO TO
AN AREA WHERE THEY NEED
TO BE CHANGED.
THEY'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO
CHANGE-- THERE'S NO CHANGING
ROOMS, AND WHAT DO YOU TELL
A 4th OR 5th GRADER, THAT
THEY GO TO A SCHOOL AND
THAT SCHOOL IS NOT EQUIPPED
FOR THEM TO GO IN AND TAKE
A DEPEND OFF, AND PUT ON
AND TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES,
AND PUT ANOTHER DEPEND ON.
THERE'S CHILDREN THAT
THEY WON'T EVER PHYSICALLY OR
PSYCHOLOGICALLY BE LIKE
THE OTHER CHILDREN.
THIS SCHOOLS OFFERS THAT.
IT OFFERS AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO
FEEL WHOLE.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE
FOR, ISN'T IT?
TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE EACH AND EVERY CHILD
HAS A FEELING OF HOLISTIC
WHOLENESS.
IT IS NOT BEING OFFERED.
THERE IS NOT WAY THAT
WE WOULD BE FILING DETROIT
FOR BANKRUPTCY, THAT WE WOULD
BE DOING ALL THESE THINGS,
IF THERE WAS STABILITY THERE.
BUT THIS SCHOOL OFFERS THAT.
YOU HAVE TO HEAR THE CRY OF
WHY WE CAME AS FAR AS WE DID.
I DON'T THINK ABOUT MY JOB.
I THINK ABOUT THE COST.
PEOPLE AS OF LAST NIGHT
CALLED ME.
MY WORK COLLEAGUES--
"DON'T GO UP THERE.
"YOU SHOULDN'T DO IT.
"IT'S WHISTLE-BLOWING.
"THEY WILL GET RID OF YOU."
BUT YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN
SOMETHING.
YOU HAVE TO TRUST IN SOMETHING
STRONG ENOUGH TO TRY TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
BECAUSE IF IT IS NOT NOW,
IT COULD BE YOUR CHILD.
YOU NEVER KNOW HOW FATE
MAY HAVE IT.
WHERE IT COULD BE YOUR CHILD,
OR YOUR GRANDCHILD, OR EVEN
YOUR GREAT-GRANDCHILD THAT
WILL BE FACED WITH
THESE SAME ISSUES.
PLEASE-- I TELL YOU
FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART--
SUPPORT US.
WE DID NOT COME ALL THE WAY
UP HERE TO NOT BE HEARD.
IF THERE IS ABSOLUTELY
ANYTHING THIS BOARD AND
THE CONSTITUENTS AND
THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT
THE MICHIGAN BOARD OF EDUCATION
CAN DO-- PLEASE, LET US KNOW.
I LOVE THIS SCHOOL.
I LOVE THE PARENTS.
AND AGAIN, THE CAUSE IS WHY
I'M UP HERE.
I AM A CERTIFIED TEACHER.
I COULD GO ABSOLUTELY ANYWHERE
AND GET ANOTHER JOB.
BUT THESE CHILDREN HAVE
NO ONE TO SPEAK FOR THEM,
AND NO VOICE.
WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?
WHERE DO YOU GO?
AND I JUST WANT EVERYONE
TO KNOW THAT.
AGAIN, THE SUPPORTERS AND
THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED
US UP TO THIS POINT--
ONE THING THAT I HEARD THEM
ALWAYS SAY IS THAT IT IS
IN GOD'S HAND.
IT IS IN GOD'S HAND, BUT
WE HAVE TO STEP OUT, BECAUSE
GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELPS
THEMSELVES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING ME.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS
VANESSA WRIGHT, FOLLOWED BY
ALFRED WRIGHT.
>> HELLO.
>> HELLO.
>> HI, TEAM DAVIS AEROSPACE
TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL.
MY SCHOOL IS CLOSING AS WELL.
I HAVE BEEN GOING THERE
FOR THREE YEARS.
I AM IN FLIGHT TRAINING,
SO WE HAVE A HANGER,
LIKE AS SOON AS YOU GO OUT
THE HANGER, WE HAVE
THE AIRPORT, WHICH IS
THE CITY AIRPORT.
SO NOW THAT OUR SCHOOL IS
MOVING ON JEFFERSON--
WE HAVE TO HAVE
TRANSPORTATION TO GET BACK TO
THE SCHOOL, WHICH-- FLIGHT
TRAINING IS IN 8th HOUR.
SO WE GET TO IT AT 3:15,
AND THEN WE HAVE AN HOUR OF
FLIGHT TRAINING, AND
WE LEAVE AT 4:15.
SO WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO COME BACK AND FORTH--
KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE RIDES,
THAT CATCH THE BUS-- WE WON'T
BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO DAVIS,
TO GO TO THE AIRPORT,
TO HAVE OUR FLIGHT TRAINING.
AND CERTAIN STUDENTS THAT
HAVE 8th HOUR-- THEY HAVE
ACADEMICS ALL DAY, BUT
NOW THAT THEY CHANGED OUR
SCHOOLS, WE HAVE TO HAVE
FLIGHT TRAINING ALL DAY
AND MISS OUT ON OUR ACADEMICS,
WHICH IS NOT GOOD, BECAUSE
WE NEED THE ACADEMIC CLASSES
TO GO TO COLLEGE AND GET
OUR TRANSCRIPTS.
OUR SCHOOL IS MOVING INTO
A BAD NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY ARE COMBINING OUR SCHOOL
WITH A MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH
ISN'T GOOD.
KIDS-- I'M SORRY--
>> TAKE YOUR TIME.
THAT IS OKAY-- WE'RE GOOD.
YOU ARE DOING GREAT.
>> OKAY.
NOW, WE HAVE TO BUY
OUR FLIGHT SUITS AND STUFF.
CERTAIN KIDS CAN'T AFFORD
THE FLIGHT TRAINING EQUIPMENT--
>> WHY DON'T WE--
WE'LL TURN OFF THE TIME, AND
YOU TAKE YOUR TIME.
WE'RE GOOD.
>> IT'S OKAY.
THANK YOU.
I'M SORRY.
CERTAIN STUDENTS ARE SCARED
NOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER
HIGH SCHOOL, BUT IT IS CLOSED.
SO WE ARE SAFE
WHERE OUR ENVIRONMENT IS, BUT
OUR SCHOOL IS ACROSS FROM
KETTERING HIGH SCHOOL.
NOW THAT STUDENTS-- WE DON'T
HAVE ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL
AROUND US, SO WE FEEL SAFE
IN OUR ENVIRONMENT NOW.
BUT NOW THAT WE ARE MOVING
ON THE BAD SIDE OF THE CITY,
CERTAIN STUDENTS DON'T FEEL
SAFE, AND CERTAIN STUDENTS
CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TO DAVIS
AEROSPACE ANYMORE.
SO NOW THAT WE'RE MOVING,
WE ARE AFRAID TO...
SPEAK UP.
NOW, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I AM HAPPY THAT MY DAD BROUGHT
ME TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF
YOU GUYS, BECAUSE I WAS SCARED.
BUT CERTAIN STUDENTS ARE
SCARED TO TALK.
THEY ARE AFRAID-- LIKE,
WHAT WE SAY DOESN'T MATTER.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON OUR PARENTS,
OR THE GOVERNMENT, OR
ROY ROBERTS.
SO THEY ARE SCARED TO SPEAK UP
TO SAY THAT THEY WANT TO
KEEP THE SCHOOL OPEN.
KIDS WHO WANT TO BE IN
ROBOTICS CAN'T AFFORD TO
BE IN THERE.
WE HAVE FUNDRAISERS AT
OUR SCHOOL, BUT NOW, WE CAN'T
HAVE FUNDRAISERS BECAUSE
THEY SAY THERE ARE CERTAIN
LAWS, AND WE HAVE TO SAVE
THE MONEY FOR BOOKS AND THINGS.
SO NOW WE CAN'T HAVE CERTAIN
ROBOTICS OR ENGINEERING
ANYMORE.
THE ONLY THING WE HAVE NOW
IS JUST FLIGHT TRAINING,
WHICH THEY ARE TRYING TO
TAKE AWAY FROM US.
THAT IS THE ONLY THING KIDS
LOOK FORWARD TO-- TO COME TO
DAVIS AEROSPACE.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS
ALFRED WRIGHT, FOLLOWED BY
DARIUS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> I APOLOGIZE FOR
MY DAUGHTER.
>> NOT NECESSARY.
>> SHE IS TERRIFIC.
>> YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD
OF HER.
>> AFTER THAT, IT KIND OF
CHANGES THINGS WITH ME.
FOR ME, I AM A PARENT.
TWO OF MY CHILDREN ARE BEING
AFFECTED BY WHAT IS GOING ON
IN DETROIT.
MY OTHER SON GOES TO OAKMAN.
HE HAS CEREBRAL PALSY AND
ASTHMA.
AS YOU ALREADY HEARD,
MY DAUGHTER GOES TO
THE AEROSPACE SCHOOL, AND
I LOOK AT IT FROM BOTH SIDES
OF THINGS.
UNTIL YOU HAVE A CHILD
THAT HAS SPECIAL NEEDS,
YOU NEVER PAY ATTENTION TO
THE LIFE THAT WE GO THROUGH.
SO I UNDERSTAND, AND I AM
GOING TO LOOK AT THIS BOARD
AS-- I DON'T KNOW WHO IS
A PARENT, AND WHO IS NOT.
SO ON MY SIDE OF IT,
THROUGH MY PARENT GROUP,
AND EVERYONE THAT CAME TO
DETROIT, I'M ALSO GOING TO
LET YOU LOOK AT THINGS THROUGH
THE EYES OF A CONTRACTOR,
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I AM.
I AM LICENSED TO DO
SPECIAL THINGS, WHICH IS
GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO
FIX THIS SCHOOL THAT THEY
WANT OUR KIDS TO GO TO.
PRIOR TO US FINDING OUT
OUR SCHOOLS WERE GOING TO
CLOSE, AND AFTER THAT--
WE HAD-- TRIED TO DO
EVERYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE
DONE TO COMBAT WHAT IS GOING ON.
YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD AND
BEEN EXPOSED TO MANY OF
THE LIES THAT HAVE BEEN
BROUGHT AGAINST US.
SO SINCE WE UNDERSTAND
OUR GOVERNOR IS ABOUT MONEY,
THIS EM IS ABOUT MONEY,
WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT
THE MONEY SIDE.
BECAUSE YOU'VE HEARD ENOUGH
EMOTIONAL THINGS, AND
I NEED TO GET AWAY FROM
THE SIDE MY DAUGHTER JUST
GOT ON.
LET'S TAKE THIS $900,000
FOR INSTANCE.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE WORK, BUT
AS A CONTRACTOR, I HAVE HAD
THE ABILITY, THROUGH
THIS WONDERFUL SCHOOL, TO
PARTICIPATE MORE AND MORE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DID NOT
PARTICIPATE AS MUCH WITH
THE OTHER KIDS AS I HAVE WITH
TIMOTHY BECAUSE OF
HIS SPECIAL NEEDS.
BUT GOING THROUGH OAKMAN
ALLOWED ME TO BE A BETTER
FATHER, BECAUSE NOW,
I UNDERSTAND ON BOTH SIDES.
BECAUSE I HAVE SIX OTHER
REGULAR CHILDREN, AND
I HAVE THE ONE WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS.
THROUGH THIS SCHOOL AND
ASSISTING AND LEARNING
THROUGH HIM AND ALL THE VARIOUS
OTHER KIDS WE HAVE THERE,
IT EXPOSES YOU TO A NEW LIFE.
I WISH YOU ALL HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE
THE SCHOOL FOR YOURSELF.
THAT IS WHAT WE OFFERED TO
THE BOARD.
THAT IS WHAT WE OFFERED TO
THE GOVERNOR.
SO SINCE I CAN'T SEE
THIS $900,000 WORTH OF REPAIRS,
I DECIDED TO GO THROUGH
THE SCHOOL AND SEE THE SCHOOL
AS WHAT I NEEDED TO FIX,
AND WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED.
APPROXIMATELY $150,000 WORTH
OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE,
THAT IS NOT JUST REPAIRS,
THAT IS PREVENTIVE
MAINTENANCE.
BUT SINCE WE ARE IN
THIS GREEN ECONOMY NOW, IF WE
UPGRADED THE THINGS THAT
NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED IN
OUR SCHOOL-- MADE THEM
GREEN-- THEY WOULD NEVER
HAVE TO BE REPLACED ANYMORE.
WE'RE PRETTY MUCH TALKING
ABOUT PICKS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
DIFFERENT URINALS.
WE ALREADY KNOW OURS IS
SET UP FOR ALL ADA.
NOW, THE SECURITY MEASURES
THAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT,
WHICH IS A PART OF THIS
$900,000-- WE DON'T NEED THAT
AT OAKMAN.
WHEN YOU COME TO OAKMAN,
YOU ARE COMING IN A DOOR
THAT HAS NO METAL DETECTORS.
YOU COME INTO A SCHOOL THAT
HAS NEVER HAD A PROBLEM
SINCE WE'VE BEEN THERE.
MY SON HAS BEEN THERE
SINCE PRE-KINDERGARTEN.
SO THE NEXT SIDE OF THAT
IS-- I CANNOT TALK AGAINST
ANY OTHER CONTRACTORS, BUT
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WHEN EVEN YOU HIRE
A CONTRACTOR, THERE ARE
SEVERAL FACTORS THAT GO INTO
YOUR BID.
ONE OF THE FACTORS IS
THE WORK THAT YOU WANT
REQUIRED, THE MATERIALS THAT
YOU TAKE, HIS LABOR, AND
ANY EXPENSES TO COVER
DOING EVERYTHING LAWFULLY--
PERMITS, EVERYTHING ELSE.
THEN, THERE IS THIS OTHER
THING CALLED OVERHEAD, WHERE
WE'RE GOING TO PAY ENOUGH
TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR OVERHEAD
IS COVERED, EVERYONE IS PAID.
THEN THERE IS PROFIT.
SO I MADE JOKE PRIOR TO US
REALLY GETTING DEEP INTO THIS.
WHAT I SAID WAS I CAN DO
THE WORK AT THE SCHOOL FOR
$450,000.
I CAN DO THE $150,000 WORTH
FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS
REQUIRED, PAY EVERYBODY,
HIRE EVERYBODY, AND STILL
WALK AWAY WITH $300,000 PROFIT.
SO IF I CAN DO IT
I'M PRETTY SURE EVERYONE
WHO OFFERED THEM
THIS $900,000-- THAT IS
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
NOW, LET'S LOOK AT IF FROM
THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS COIN.
THESE TWO SCHOOLS THAT
THEY ARE SENDING TO--
OPEN ASBESTOS AND
EVERYTHING.
I INSPECTED THOSE SCHOOLS,
JUST LIKE I INSPECTED OURS.
NONE OF THE SCHOOLS
ARE ADA READY.
SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO
TAKE $900,000 AND
CLOSE THIS BUILDING THAT
NEEDED IT, IT IS GOING TO
COST YOU TWICE AS MUCH TO DO
THOSE TWO THINGS.
BUT THEN THERE IS ALSO
THE TRANSPORTATION COSTS.
WHERE THEY WERE ONLY
TRANSPORTING 40% OF OUR
KIDS-- BECAUSE THEY ARE
FORCING US TO MOVE, NOW
THEY HAVE TO TRANSFER 100%.
THEREFORE, IF IT COSTS THEM
$1,000 PER STUDENT TO
RIDE THE BUS-- YOU JUST
ESCALATED 60% MORE EXPENSES.
AND THAT IS EVERY YEAR
FROM NOW ON UNTIL THEY GO
TO THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS.
FOR ME, MY SON WAS ONLY
GOING TO BE IN OAKMAN
ONE MORE YEAR.
SO NOW THEY ARE
RESPONSIBLE TO TRANSPORT
HIM TO WHEREVER ELSE
HE WAS GOING, FROM 5-8.
ANY OF THOSE OTHER GENERAL ED
KIDS THAT WEREN'T
RIDING THE BUS, NOW,
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
TRANSPORT THEM FOR THAT
SAME LENGTH OF TIME.
OR ANY OF THE KIDS FROM
1st GRADE ON.
SO YOU CALCULATE THAT
$1,000 PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT
AMOUNT OF YEARS THEY
ARE GOING TO THESE OTHER
SCHOOLS.
SO WHOEVER YOU PRESENTING
THAT TO-- MAKE THEM
ACTUALLY SHOW YOU
THE NUMBERS.
LET'S SEE THE PROJECTION.
THAT IS ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS
DARIUS, FOLLOWED BY
VATORIA DAT.
DARIUS, DO YOU WANT
SOMEONE TO COME TO
THE TABLE WITH YOU, OR DO YOU
WANT TO SIT THERE JUST
WITH YOU?
>> I'M OKAY.
>> OKAY.
>> HELLO, GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS DARIUS JOHNSON.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT
I WENT TO OAKMAN SCHOOL WHEN
I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD, AND
THEY TAUGHT ME A LOT.
IT IS JUST NOT FAIR TO
SHUT THE SCHOOL DOWN, AND
ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO
WANT TO ENJOY OAKMAN
SCHOOL.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY
THAT IT IS NOT FAIR TO
CLOSE IT, AND OTHER PEOPLE
WANT TO GO TO THE SCHOOL,
AND THEY WANT TO LEARN,
AND THEY WANT TO DO
DIFFERENT STUFF.
AND THAT WAS IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DARIUS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> VATORIA DAT.
>> VATORIA DAT IS HERE TO
TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATION
ACHIEVEMENT AUTHORITY, SO
WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD
AND LET THE OAKMAN PARENTS
FINISH THEIR CONCERNS FIRST.
>> OKAY.
HOW ABOUT OLA WAYNE?
>> OLA WAYNE IS LIKEWISE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT
THE EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT
AUTHORITY.
>> OKAY, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
JANEA WAYNE, ALSO IS
THAT SAME--?
>> ARE THE OAKMAN PARENTS DONE
WITH THEIR TIME TO SPEAK?
>> YEAH.
THERE'S NO MORE.
>> OKAY.
>> MA'AM, MAY I HAVE
YOUR NAME, PLEASE?
>> I'M OLA WAYNE.
>> OKAY.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
>> HELLO.
>> I'M A PARENT THAT IS
CONCERNED FOR THE OAKMAN
SCHOOL-- OAKMAN SCHOOL IS
IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT
THEM CLOSING IT.
WORKING AT SOCIAL SECURITY,
WORKING WITH DISABLED KIDS,
A LOT OF THEIR PARENTS
HAVE COME, AND I HAVE SEEN
AND HEARD THE SUCCESS FROM
OAKMAN SCHOOL.
I AM HERE ALSO TO TALK
ABOUT THE EAA SCHOOL.
MY GRANDDAUGHTER GOES TO
AN EAA SCHOOL-- MUMFORD.
MUMFORD HAS A PROBLEM
GETTING THE RECORDS FROM
THE DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOL.
I KNOW THAT BECAUSE SHE IS
GOING INTO THE JUNIOR HIGH
SCHOOL-- SHE IS A JUNIOR
IN HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
THEY NEED THOSE RECORDS TO
BE ABLE TO DETERMINE
WHAT TO DO, HOW TO HELP
THEM GET INTO COLLEGES.
I WORK WITH THE LSCO.
FOR ONE WHOLE YEAR WE HAVE
BEEN TRYING TO GET
THE RECORDS FOR THE SENIORS,
SO THAT THE COUNSELORS
COULD HELP THEM AND ASSIST
THEM IN GETTING INTO SCHOOLS.
I WAS IN THE OFFICE, AND
I HEARD THAT THEY FINALLY
GOT THE RECORDS FOR
THE SENIORS THAT GRADUATED.
ONE WEEK AFTER GRADUATION,
THEY FINALLY GOT SOME RECORDS.
THE COUNSELOR TELLS ME
THAT IT TAKES A YEAR FOR
THEM TO GET THOSE RECORDS.
I AM SAYING THAT WE NEED
THE EAA SCHOOLS TO GIVE
OUR STUDENTS WHAT-- THEY
STATED THE REASON TO OPEN
THE EAA SCHOOLS WAS TO BETTER
OUR STUDENTS' EDUCATIONS.
I'M FINDING THAT IT IS
NOT HAPPENING.
THERE IS A BREAKDOWN IN
COMMUNICATION
ALL THE WAY AROUND.
FROM THE STATE TO DETROIT.
IT IS A COMMUNICATION
PROBLEM.
I WENT TO THE EDUCATION
NATION, AND I HEARD
A WHOLE LOT OF PROMISES FROM
OUR GOVERNOR, FROM
EVERYBODY SAYING HOW GREAT
THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
IN DETROIT IS.
IT IS NOT-- IT IS FELON.
THESE ARE OUR FUTURES THAT
WE ARE DENYING A GREAT
EDUCATION, TRAINING--
THEY ARE CUTTING OUT
THE VOCATIONAL TECH CLASSES
FOR THE KIDS.
THE INDUSTRIES ARE SAYING
THEY NEED OUR KIDS.
WHEN THEY COME OUT OF HIGH
SCHOOL, SOME OF THEM WON'T
GO TO COLLEGE, BUT IF THEY
WENT THROUGH VOC TECH, THEY
COULD GO GET SOME OF THE JOBS.
WE ARE ASKING THAT
INDUSTRY COME IN AND HELP
TO EDUCATE THE SCHOOLS,
EDUCATE THE KIDS, SO THAT
THEY WILL HAVE JOBS
IF THEY DON'T GO TO COLLEGE.
WE WANT OUR KIDS TO BE
PREPARED THROUGH
THE COUNSELING TO GET INTO
THE BEST COLLEGES,
TO GET THE BEST EDUCATION
THEY NEED.
I AM A GRANDPARENT
FIGHTING FOR OUR KIDS.
I HAD A SON WHO WAS
IN SPECIAL ED, SO I AM--
OAKMAN IS DEAR, BECAUSE
I KNOW HOW IT IS TRYING TO
GET A KID WHO HAS
SPECIAL NEEDS.
YOU HAVE TO FIGHT
ALL THE WAY FOR THEM.
I THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> VATORIA DAT, PLEASE,
FOLLOWED BY MAYOU VONG.
>> HELLO.
>> HELLO.
>> MY NAME IS VATORIA DAT.
I WAS A STUDENT AT
MUMFORD HIGH SCHOOL.
BEFORE I START,
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT
EVERY STUDENT IN THIS ROOM,
EVERY CHILD IN THIS ROOM
IS THE FUTURE, AND SO ARE
YOUR CHILDREN.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I JUST WANT TO READ
THIS LITTLE ESSAY THAT I WROTE.
I TITLED IT, "STUDENTS ARE
"THE FUTURE."
IS JUSTICE ALWAYS SERVED
TO STUDENTS AS IT IS
SUPPOSED TO BE?
AS IN EDUCATION
RESPONSIBILITIES, AND
EVERYONE'S FUTURE.
HONESTLY, JUSTICE CANNOT
BE JUSTIFIED UNTIL
THE PARTY IS SATISFIED.
IN THIS CASE,
THE PARTY IS STUDENTS.
STUDENTS ARE NOT REALLY
SATISFIED IN DETROIT,
CHICAGO, NEW ORLEANS,
BOSTON, AND MANY OTHER CITIES.
ALL ARE GETTING
TREATED UNFAIRLY.
SCHOOLS ARE BEING CLOSED.
FOR WHAT?
THE CITY, AND EVEN
THE MAYORS DON'T KNOW WHY.
THESE SCHOOLS ARE UP AND
RUNNING AND DOING VERY WELL.
THE CITY IS RUNNING OUT OF
MONEY, AND CAN STILL
AFFORD TO PAY PUBLIC
FIGURES, AND COPS WHO JUST
SIT THERE, AND EAT DONUTS,
AND ARREST YOUNG BLACK MEN
FOR WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
THESE SCHOOLS REALLY NEED
MORE MONEY, MORE BOOKS,
REAL TEACHERS, AND
ALL THAT MONEY IS BEING USED.
A SCHOOL IS SUPPOSED TO BE
A PLACE THAT IS SAFE, NOT
DUCK AND DODGE THE BULLET.
A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IS
NOT TEACH YOURSELF OR
LEARN WHAT YOU CAN.
WHY ARE SCHOOLS BEING CLOSED?
WE DON'T KNOW.
WE-- THE PEOPLE-- DO NOT KNOW.
GOOD SCHOOLS ARE GONE.
THE MONEY THEY COULD HAVE
USED TO KEEP IT OPEN IS GONE.
SOME OF THESE STUDENTS
DO NOT HAVE A SCHOOL IN
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO GO TO.
THE PROGRAM THAT I AM IN,
WHICH IS CALLED EAA,
IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE DPS,
AND IT IS SUPPOSED TO
BE BETTER.
BUT IT REALLY ISN'T.
IT MAKES ME FEEL AS IF
I WAS NOT A STUDENT.
IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE
A NUMBER IN A CELL BLOCK.
THIS IS WHERE I THINK THEY
ARE TRYING TO MAKE US GO.
IF THEY ARE NOT TEACHING
US WELL, WHERE ELSE
ARE WE GOING TO GO?
WE WILL EITHER END UP IN
A CASKET, OR IN JAIL, WHICH
IS WHAT MOST OF PEOPLE SAY
YOUNG, BLACK PEOPLE
END UP ANYWAY.
I ALSO THINK THAT THIS
SHOULD CHANGE BEFORE TIMES
COME THAT AN ELDER LADY
CAN GET ROBBED IN FRONT OF
THE POLICE, AND THE POLICE
WILL GIVE THEM A THUMBS UP,
BECAUSE THEY WON'T BE
ABLE TO DO ANYTHING.
BECAUSE THERE WILL
BE TOO MUCH CRIME
TO TAKE CARE OF.
EAA IS NOT AS GOOD AS
THEY SAY THEY ARE.
THEY COME TO YOU ALL AND
THEY TELL YOU THAT,
"WE'RE THE BEST!
"WE DO THIS, WE DO THAT."
BUT WE GET NOTHING-- AT ALL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> MAYOU VONG?
>> I'M GOING TO
RESPECTFULLY CEDE MY TIME
TO OUR LAST STUDENT.
>> WHICH IS JANEA WAYNE?
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> HI.
>> HELLO.
>> FIRST, I WANT TO START
OFF WITH, EDUCATION IS
IMPORTANT, NO MATTER WHO
YOU ARE.
YOU CAN BE SPECIAL NEEDS,
OR YOU CAN BE REGULAR.
IT IS STILL IMPORTANT.
WE ARE THE FUTURE.
ALL THE CHILDREN HERE ARE
THE FUTURE.
IF WE DON'T HAVE A QUALITY
EDUCATION, THEN WE WON'T
BE ABLE TO MAKE THE FUTURE
HOW YOU WANT IT TO BE.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO STOP
THE CRIME FROM HAPPENING.
SHE HAS TO TRAVEL
ALL THE WAY OUT OF THE CITY
TO GET TO SCHOOL, BECAUSE
THEY DON'T HAVE BUS STIPENDS
TO GET HER THERE.
THAT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.
I DID NOT LEARN NOTHING,
REALLY, UNTIL NOVEMBER,
BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY
PEOPLE IN OUR CLASSROOMS.
THEY COULD NOT FIGURE
WHAT WE WERE DOING.
EVERYTHING-- NOBODY KNEW
WHAT WAS GOING ON.
IT WAS JUST CRAZY.
IT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
I AM IN THE 11th GRADE.
IF THEY DO NOT FIX THIS,
THEN I AM GOING TO BE IN
THE 12th GRADE AND TRYING
TO GO TO COLLEGE.
I WON'T KNOW WHAT I'M
DOING, BECAUSE I DON'T
HAVE A QUALITY EDUCATION.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO
COMPETE WITH THE OTHER
PEOPLE OUT THERE.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE
SOMETHING OF MYSELF.
OTHER PEOPLE WON'T BE ABLE
TO MAKE NOTHING OF
THEMSELVES EITHER.
IF THIS CONTINUES TO GO ON,
OUR FUTURE IS NOT
GOING TO BE VERY BRIGHT.
IT IS NOT.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
CRIME EVERYWHERE.
THE BUILDINGS AND
EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE
RUN-DOWN, BECAUSE EVERYONE
WILL WANT TO GO
EVERYWHERE ELSE, INSTEAD
OF STAYING IN DETROIT.
BECAUSE NOTHING IS
GOING TO BE HERE.
IF YOU WANT THINGS TO GET
BETTER, THEN YOU HAVE TO
KEEP THE EDUCATION, AND
STOP CLOSING THE SCHOOLS.
THE CHILDREN NEED
THE SCHOOLS.
WITHOUT THE SCHOOLS, WHERE
ARE WE GOING TO GO?
WHERE ARE WE GOING TO LEARN?
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> SO MS. VONG,
YOU ARE NOT SPEAKING?
>> I AM GOOD, THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER FORMS?
>> THANK YOU, ALL.
>> THANK YOU, AND
THE BOARD DOESN'T INTERACT ON
THESE, BUT TAKES
THE THOUGHTS THAT YOU HAVE
BROUGHT TO THE TABLE INTO
CONSIDERATION, AND I GUESS
I COULD OWE MAYBE ONE ISSUE
THAT YOU MENTIONED--
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT IS
LIMITED TO THIS.
WE WOULD WANT OUR SPECIAL
EDUCATION DIVISION TO
AT LEAST SEE IF THE SCHOOLS
THAT KIDS ARE SUPPOSED TO
GO TO-- WE CAN'T, AS
SOME OF YOU INFERRED--
DECIDE WHICH SCHOOLS ARE
OPENED AND CLOSED.
BUT WE CAN, AND SHOULD BE,
UNDERSTANDING THAT
THE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE READY.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT MAY BE
A QUESTION.
SO THAT WOULD BE WITHIN
OUR PURVIEW, AND I THINK
WE NEED TO DO AT LEAST
THAT, AND THEN SOME OTHER
THINGS, AS WE DEBRIEF.
THANKS FOR YOU TAKING
THE TIME TODAY.
IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE
KIDS THAT WE ACTUALLY SERVE,
THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND THANKS TO THE PARENTS
TO TAKE TO THE TIME TO
SPEAK TO USE TODAY.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO STAY.
WE ONLY GO TO ABOUT MIDNIGHT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT
THEY WERE GOING TO CLOSE--
MY GRANDDAUGHTER WAS IN
NOBLE, AND I WENT UP THERE
FOR TWO DAYS TO SIT ALL DAY
TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
AND THREE OTHER TEACHERS
CAME INTO THE ROOM
AND WERE TRYING TO
CONTROL THE CLASSROOM.
THE TEACHER IN THE ROOM--
THE KIDS WERE THROWING BOOKS,
PUSHING CHAIRS,
CUTTING OFF LIGHTS--
JUST UNCONTROLLABLE.
THOSE TWO DAYS, I SIT THERE
AND I LOOK AND WATCH.
THE THIRD DAY,
MY GRANDDAUGHTER WAS IN
ANOTHER SCHOOL, BECAUSE
THEY COULD NOT CONTROL
THOSE CHILDREN.
I KNOW THAT KIND OF
SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS--
I'M TELLING YOU, MY BLOOD
PRESSURE WENT UP.
I WENT TO THE DOCTOR TO
GET SOME MORE MEDICATION
JUST SITTING IN
THOSE CLASSROOMS TWO DAYS.
IT WAS THAT HORRIBLE.
I KNOW THAT OAKMAN KIDS
DO NOT NEED THAT.
AS OLD AS I AM-- I WAS
UPSET SITTING IN
THE CLASSROOM TWO DAYS.
WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO
FOR THE-- HOW MANY DAYS?
>> ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY.
>> ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS
THEY WILL BE--
THEY WILL BE-- THEY MIGHT
HAVE A HEART ATTACK.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THAT IS WHAT I FEEL LIKE,
AFTER WALKING OUT OF THERE.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.
OKAY.
WE MOVED UP PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION TO
ACCOMMODATE OUR GUESTS.
SO LET US GO BACK TO 6E,
WHICH IS APPROVAL OF STATE
BOARD OF ED MINUTES OF
THE REGULAR AND COMMITTEE OF
THE WHOLE MEETING OF
JUNE 18, 2013.
FIRST OF ALL, IS THERE
A MOTION?
>> SO MOVED.
>> SUPPORTED BY JOHN.
ANY DISCUSSION?
>> ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.
>> AYE.
>> OPPOSED, SAME.
WE HAVE NEW EMPLOYEE, AND
THINK THAT CAROL IS GOING
TO DO THE INTRODUCTION,
AND WE ALWAYS WANT TO
WELCOME THOSE THAT HAVE
JOINED OUR TEAM HERE.
>> THANK YOU, MIKE.
IT IS MY PLEASURE
TO INTRODUCE TO YOU
EUNICE BORELLI.
SHE IS WITH THE STATE
LIBRARY OF MICHIGAN.
EUNICE, WELCOME TO MDE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY
A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF,
AND YOUR PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU.
YES, HELLO.
I MUST CONFESS, THIS IS
THE FIRST STATE BOARD OF
EDUCATION MEETING THAT
I HAVE ATTENDED.
SO THIS WAS VERY
ENLIGHTENING, AND
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
I AM EUNICE BORELLI.
I AM A MeL-- INTERNET LIBRARIAN.
I HAVE GIVEN YOU ALL MARK
MeL IS THE MICHIGAN eLIBRARY.
WE ARE THE PREMIER ONLINE
SOURCE OF INFORMATION.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED,
EVERYTHING YOU DIDN'T KNOW
YOU NEEDED IS AT MeL.
I ENCOURAGE YOU
TO GO TO MEL.ORG.
SPECIFICALLY, ONE OF
THE PORTALS YOU WILL FIND IS
"MORE."
THE MICHIGAN ONLINE
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS.
WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL TOOL.
IT INCLUDES CURRICULUM
STANDARDS, LESSON PLANS,
EVERYTHING YOU WOULD NEED.
OUR OTHER PORTALS ARE
HEALTH, BUSINESS,
JOBS, KIDS, TEENS,
BOOKS AND LITERACY,
GOVERNMENT, AND LEGAL.
IF YOU HAVEN'T VISITED
MeL, PLEASE DO SO.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
YOU CAN CONTACT US AT
MEL.ORG.
THE LIBRARY OF MICHIGAN.
ONE LAST SENTENCE:
I AM BRAND NEW, JUST
STARTED IN JULY.
I JUST ENDED 15 YEARS
AT THE CAPITOL AREA
DISTRICT LIBRARY IN
DOWNTOWN LANSING.
SO I'M WELL-PREPARED,
I THINK, TO TALK ABOUT
LIBRARY RESOURCES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WELCOME, AND THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE
YOUR PROACTIVITY.
YOU DID NOT MISS
A CHANCE TO PITCH
THE GOOD STUFF OVER THERE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
JOHN.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT.
YOU WANT TO PAUSE?
>> THAT'S OKAY.
BRIEFLY, WE ARE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THE DEB BALL
REPORT IN A MINUTE.
I WILL LEAVE THAT OFF.
RICHARD AND I ARE GOING TO
TESTIFY TOMORROW ON
THE COMMON CORE HEARINGS.
WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO
CONTRIBUTE TO AND NOT
DETRACT FROM WHAT I THINK
HAS BEEN A VERY ENCOURAGING
PROCESS, REALLY.
THE LEGISLATURE'S INTEREST
IN UNDERSTANDING BETTER
THE HISTORY AND THE UTILITY
AND ALL THE ISSUES
AROUND THE COMMON CORE,
AND MAYBE, DISABUSE
THEMSELVES OF SOME OF
THE MYTHS OR FEARS.
I THINK IT IS
HOPEFULLY, WORKING.
YOUR TESTIMONY, MIKE,
WAS EXCELLENT,
AND THE DEPARTMENT'S.
AND BILL SCHMIDT AND
RICHARD AND I WILL
CERTAINLY TRY TO ADD TO THAT.
I KNOW WE SHARE NOTIONS OF
WHAT WE MIGHT SAY.
I AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT
HISTORICALLY OUR ROLE IN
MOVING THE STANDARDS
MOVEMENT, AND OUR INTEREST
IN WHY WE SUPPORT
THE COMMON CORE ADOPTION AS
THE NEXT STEP IN THAT
EVOLUTION IN KIND OF
THE RIGOROUS STANDARDS.
RICHARD WAS NICE ENOUGH TO
SHARE HIS POTENTIAL
REMARKS, AND THEY ARE
GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL.
I APPRECIATE THAT, RICHARD.
EVERYBODY ELSE CAN
COMMENT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE
MUCH TIME.
WENDY, THANK YOU FOR
HELPING FACILITATE THAT.
THERE IS PROBABLY
NOT A POINT, BUT ON
BEHALF OF THE BOARD,
WE ARE RATHER COMPLICIT
IN ADVANCING THE STANDARDS
AND THE COMMON CORE.
THAT IS A NICE OPPORTUNITY.
AS WE TALKED
INDIVIDUALLY, I WANTED TO
AT LEAST NOTE--
OUR INTEREST, AND OUR MOVEMENT
IN TRYING TO MOVE
OUR PRIORITY OF-- IN FORMING
AND HELPING SHAPE A KIND OF
COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL OF
SCHOOL ORGANIZATION
AND FINANCE AND
THE OVERHAUL TO PROPOSAL A
THAT WE NEED TO ADEQUATELY
SUPPORT OUTCOMES FOR LEARNING.
IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR AS WE
BEGAN TO TALK TO OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS.
THE BOARD ARE PUTTING
TOGETHER RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR THE BIG OVERHAUL--
WOULD PROBABLY BE LESS
IMPACTFUL-- MEANING THAT
WE WOULD BE POTENTIALLY
PERCEIVED AS ONE
POTENTIALLY PARTISAN VOICE.
WE CERTAINLY COULDN'T
GATHER THE RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT THE KIND OF
INDEPENDENT, EXPERT LED
HELP THAT WE ALL NEED TO
TACKLE THIS TOPIC
WITHOUT US PARTNERING ON
THIS IMPORTANT ENTERPRISE,
AND I CERTAINLY STILL AM
ENCOURAGING THAT I THINK
TO A DEGREE WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER AS A BOARD,
SUPERINTENDENT, GOVERNOR,
LEGISLATURE TO CHARGE
THE KIND OF THOUGHTFUL RE LOOK
OVER THE YEARS AHEAD, OF
HOW WE ARE GOING TO
ORGANIZE AND FUND
SCHOOLS FOR SUCCESS.
THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT
AND MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO DO
SUCH A THINK EVEN DURING
AN ELECTION YEAR WHEN IT
COULD EMERGE POST-ELECTION
WITH SOME THOUGHTFUL IDEAS.
SO I'LL KEEP ENCOURAGING
THAT NOTION, EVEN THOUGH
IT MAYBE BE POLITICALLY
HAIRY FOR--
>> BLESS YOU.
>> BUT I THINK IT IS
SOMETHING WE ALL
NEED TO WORK AT.
MEANWHILE, WE WILL TAKE
EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE
THE PUSH ON WHAT KIND OF
FINANCE AND OVERHAUL OF
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM
IS NEEDED TO BETTER
SUPPORT IT, AND ONE GOOD
AVENUE IS THE BIPARTISAN
DISCUSSION GROUP WITH
REPRESENTATIVE ROGERS.
WE APPRECIATE THE DEPARTMENT
AND MIKE, YOUR PARTICIPATION
IN THAT TOO.
BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY-- EILEEN,
CASANDRA, AND I ARE
THE COMMITTEE THAT HAS JOINED
WITH A BIPARTISAN GROUP
OF LEGISLATORS TO AGAIN
GO AS FAR AS WE CAN TOWARDS
UNDERSTANDING ISSUES--
WHERE WE ARE WITH SCHOOL
FINANCE, WHAT'S DRIVING
OUR PICTURES, WHAT ARE
SOME EXAMPLES FROM OTHER
STATES AT HOW THEY
HAVE DONE BETTER,
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER WAYS
WE COULD ADVANCE THE KIND OF
OVERHAUL OF THE SYSTEM
THAT WE KNOW IS NEEDED,
INCLUDING BUILDING IN
THE KIND OF GOOD IDEAS
THAT MIKE HAS BEEN
ARTICULATING WITH HIS
PROPOSALS FOR HOW TO
BETTER STREAMLINE AND
SHARE SERVICES AT THE COUNTY
AND REGIONAL LEVEL.
SO I THINK THAT WE WANT--
AND WE HAVE SOME HELP
FROM THE EDUCATIONAL
POLICY CENTER AT MSU
IN THE FORM OF THE GRADUATE
ASSISTANTS WHO DIGEST ANALYSIS
OF WHAT NEEDS FIXING WITH
OUR SCHOOL FINANCE,
WHAT SOME OF THE BIG ISSUES
ARE, AND WE'LL LOOK AT
WHAT OTHER STATES HAVE DONE.
BUT THEN WE WILL GO
AS FAR AS WE CAN IN THAT
GROUP, TOO, TO DEVELOP
THOUGHTFUL IDEAS OVER
THE MONTHS AHEAD, AROUND WHAT
NEEDS FIXING AND ARE SOME
THOUGHTFUL IDEAS AT HOW TO
OVERHAUL THIS SYSTEM.
AND THAT CAN BE
AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION.
I THINK WE HAD A GOOD
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING.
WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO
MEET EVERY MONTH OR SO--
SEPTEMBER 5th IS THE NEXT
MEETING OF THAT GROUP--
WE'LL HAVE SOME PRIVATE,
AND WE'LL HAVE SOME PUBLIC
AND HAVE SOME CANDID
DISCUSSIONS.
SO THAT IS A GOOD AVENUE
TO PURSUE THIS TOPIC.
SO I THINK THAT IS IT.
I WOULD SAY IT IS
SO IMPORTANT WHEN PEOPLE
COME, LIKE THE OAKMAN
CONCERNED CITIZENS,
AND ARE SEEKING SOME
PUBLIC REPRESENTATION AND
HAVING THEIR VOICE AND
PERSPECTIVE HEARD.
I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS
THINGS THAT WE MIGHT
APPROPRIATELY DO
IN ADDITION TO
WHAT YOU NICELY SUGGESTED.
LOOK AT THE FACTS OF
THE CASE AROUND THE SPECIAL
EDUCATION SERVICES.
CERTAINLY, IF THERE IS
ANY APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATION
WE WANT TO MAKE TO
THE EMERGENCY MANAGER TO
MAKE SURE HE AND THEY ARE
LISTENING, AND/OR IF ARE THERE
ANY BOARD MEMBERS ALWAYS
FACILITATE SAYING-- THAT'S
ALWAYS WITHIN YOUR AND OUR
PURVIEW, I THINK, TO MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLES' CONCERNS
AND INFORMATION IS BEING
GIVEN CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.
>> WELL SAID, THANK YOU.
OKAY.
I CAN GET RID OF
A FEW OF THESE.
I SAW THE WASHINGTON POST
BEING PURCHASED, AND
I COULDN'T RESIST A TWEET
THE OTHER DAY THAT IF YOU
WANT TO ENSURE YOUR EXTINCTION,
CEASE TO EVOLVE.
THAT CAME OUT OF-- JEFF--
FOUNDER OF AMAZON
WHO RECENTLY PURCHASED IT,
AND I THINK SOMETHING TO
BE LEARNED IN THERE.
HOW DO WE STAY JUST ENOUGH
AHEAD, BUT NOT SO MUCH
THAT WE ARE THROWING
THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH
WATER HERE, AND NOT
ACCOMPLISHING WHAT
WE HOPED TO.
THE TESTIMONY-- I PLAN ON
CUTTING THROUGH SOME
OF THIS BECAUSE
OF THE TIME TODAY.
THE COMMON CORE--
THANKS, JOHN AND RICHARD.
EILEEN HAS BEEN ACTIVE,
AS YOU KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE
YOU ACKNOWLEDGING WENDY,
MARTY, AND THE TEAM HERE.
BUT IT MEANS A LOT THAT
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE,
IN THE BEST SENSE, THE D AND
THE R TOGETHER ON
THIS ISSUE TOMORROW.
VERY THOUGHTFULLY DONE,
AND EVEN THOUGH I KNOW
THEY HAVE A FULL AGENDA--
THEY ARE BEAMING SOMEONE IN
EVEN, WHO IS NOT IN FAVOR
OF THE COMMON CORE,
BUT WILL RAVAGE, I GUESS.
BUT I THINK THIS WILL
BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
>> CAN WE SCRAMBLE
THE SIGNAL?
[ LAUGHTER ]
GET OUR TECHNOLOGY PEOPLE
ON THAT ONE.
>> YEAH.
THEN I JUST WANT TO
MENTION, AS YOU KNOW,
THIS IS THAT TIME OF YEAR.
WE ARE GOING TO BE
RELEASING THE SCHOOL
REPORT CARD.
WE DON'T HAVE AN EXACT
DATE, BUT IT IS IN WITHIN
THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS,
PROBABLY A LITTLE SOONER.
AS YOU KNOW, FROM
THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD
LAST YEAR,
THIS REPORT CARD WAS
ADJUSTED SO THAT WE COULD
RECEIVE THE WAIVER.
YOU KNOW, I FOUND MYSELF
THE LAST FEW WEEKS--
I THOUGHT THAT VENESSA AND
CHRIS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB
IN BRIEFING THE ED ALLIANCE
ON THIS, SO THEY COULD
HELP GET AHEAD OF IT AND
BRING THEM UP TO DATE.
WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE
INVITED THEM TO THE MEETING
WHEN WE MET WITH YOU GUYS
AND HAD THEM SITTING HERE
MORE CONCRETELY.
BUT THE SPIRIT BEHIND IT,
I THINK THE BIGGEST
TAKE-AWAY WAS WHEN IT KIND
OF HIT THEM--
AGAIN, WE DO THIS EVERY
DAY, BUT IT HIT THEM.
"OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
"THIS IS INSTEAD OF HAVING
"THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF
"NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND, WHICH
"WERE WELL-INTENDED BUT
"UNACHIEVABLE."
THIS IS WHAT IS REQUIRED
TO DO THE WAIVER.
I REALLY-- THE FOLKS
HAVE HAD IT IN THEIR HANDS
FOR A WHILE, SO IN THE FIELD
THAT THEY CAN GET READY
FOR SOME OF THE MEDIA
TYPE THINGS THAT THEY
WILL BE ASKED ABOUT.
I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE
WELL-SERVING THE PUBLIC.
THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS
THE COLOR SPECTRUM THAT WE
KIND OF GOT TO,
BASED ON THE WAIVER.
IT WILL HAVE EVERYTHING
FROM GREEN, YELLOW, TO
RED, AND IS KIND OF IS
MEANT TO BE KIND OF LIKE
A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, I GUESS--
IF YOU WERE TO THINK
ABOUT IT THAT WAY.
IN CASE THEY MISSED
THE BOARD DISCUSSIONS LAST
YEAR, IT IS WHY WE HAD
THE ED ALLIANCE IN.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THIS IN AN INDIRECT
WAY AT LUNCH TODAY.
I THINK IT IS A GOOD WAY
TO HELP PEOPLE MORE
QUICKLY UNDERSTAND
SOMETHING, SO THAT THEY
WERE ALL GOOD BY THE END.
THEY KIND OF GOT WHAT WE
WERE DOING, AND
REMEMBERING WHY, AND
I THINK THAT THEY WILL BE
HELPFUL WITH THE FIELD.
AS I SAID, AS WE DO WITH
THE MEAP SCORES WE
HAVE GIVEN THEM
THE EMBARGOED RESULTS,
SO THAT THEY CAN START
WORKING ON THEM.
THEIR TEACHERS COME IN
A WEEK OR SO EARLY, SO THAT
IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR
THEM TO KNOW THE RESULTS
OF THIS.
I THINK THERE IS ANOTHER--
NOT JUST BECAUSE DAN IS
SITTING HERE--
THERE IS OTHER KINDS OF
RATINGS THAT I THINK ARE
REALLY APPROPRIATE, AND
HELPFUL FOR SCHOOLS TO
LOOK AT.
DAN'S HAS A LITTLE
MORE WEIGHT ON CLIMATE
OF SCHOOLS, WHICH I THINK
IS VERY HELPFUL FOR
THEM TO KIND OF WEIGH
DIFFERENT MEASURES.
I THINK ABOUT IT A LITTLE
BIT LIKE-- IF I AM READY
TO BUY A CAR, I LOOK
AT A FEW DIFFERENT SOURCES.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT
A UNIVERSITY, SOME COUNT
SOMETHING THAT IS NOT
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT
TO ME, BUT SOME COUNT
THE ENDOWMENT AS
A LOT OF POINTS, AND
OTHERS DON'T AT ALL.
IT IS JUST A WAY WHERE YOU
CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE
MICHIGAN STATE OR CENTRAL
OR WHEREVER MIGHT BE
IN RELATIONSHIP TO A COUPLE
OF DIFFERENT MEASURES.
WE THINK THIS WILL BE
HELPFUL, AND WE'LL
GO FROM THERE.
I THINK I CAN--
I THINK I AM GOOD.
AS MERTZ INDICATED, GARY ABUD
COULDN'T MAKE THIS MEETING.
NOT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T
CARE, BUT BECAUSE HE
ALREADY HAD PLANS BEFORE
HE KNEW HE WOULD BE
TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
HE INCLUDED A REPORT,
AS YOU KNOW, AND I THINK HE
IS GOING TO BE A GREAT
ADDITION TO OUR WORK HERE
AT THE TABLE.
MARTY IS READY TO JOIN US.
HE HAS GOT KLEENEX.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE IS
READY TO--
[ LAUGHTER ]
-- TEAR UP THERE.
>> I GOT TO STAY COMPOSED.
>> THE YOUNG WOMAN,
BY THE WAY-- THAT IS ANOTHER
THING I THINK WE
SHOULD CHECK OUT:
WHAT WOULD BE COSTS THAT
THE DISTRICT SHOULDN'T
BE COVERING ON
THE PROGRAM THAT SHE IS IN--
ON AVIATION RIGHT NOW?
I DID NOT WANT TO GET INTO
THE DISCOURSE HERE, BUT WE
SHOULD SEE WHAT THAT IS.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY IF
IT IS A CREDIT BEARING COURSE.
IT SHOULDN'T BE BECAUSE
THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, THAT
THEY CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN IT.
WE SHOULD-- I DIDN'T
WANT TO SAY THAT, AND GET
TOO MUCH ENGAGED THERE.
BUT I THINK THAT IS
ANOTHER ONE--
>> I THINK PART OF
THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES WAS
THE TRANSPORTATION, THAT
THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE
A BUS, BASICALLY EVERY DAY
BACK AND FORTH
TO THE CLASSROOM.
THEY DON'T HAVE CARS.
THEY CAN'T AFFORD CARS.
>> CASANDRA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> I WAS JUST SAYING THAT
I THINK PART OF
THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUE WAS
THE TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM.
>> WELL, THEN IF THAT IS
AN EQUAL ISSUE-- THAT
WOULD BE A HARD ONE TO--
BUT I THOUGHT SHE,
IN ADDITION TO THAT, INFERRED
A KIND OF A COST, AND
THAT IS NOT A--
SO ANYWAY--
I DON'T WANT TO JUDGE THAT YET.
MAYBE THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.
SO WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT.
WE WILL ALSO SEE IF
THESE OTHER TWO SCHOOLS CAN
ACCOMMODATE-- IN A VERY
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME NOW--
THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
ACCOMMODATE WITHOUT--
WHETHER YOU ARE FOR OR
AGAINST THE MOVEMENT OF
THOSE KIDS, WHICH WE DON'T
HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT
OFFICIALLY.
WE DO HAVE SOMETHING TO
SAY, LIKE ARE THEY READY
WITH THE PROPER
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR
THESE KIDS' NEEDS.
WE RAN ALL-- WHEN I WAS
A LOCAL SUPERINTENDENT--
WE RAN ALL THE POHI
PROGRAMS FOR SOUTH
OAKLAND COUNTY.
THAT WASN'T EASY TO DO
OVERNIGHT, TO GET
THESE READY.
SO I THINK THAT IS
A LEGITIMATE-- THESE ARE
ALL LEGITIMATE ISSUES, BUT
THAT IS ONE THAT I THINK
WE CAN--
>> IS THE CLOSURE OF THESE
FOUR SCHOOLS THAT THEY ARE
TALKING ABOUT--
IS THAT WHAT IS SPELLED
OUT IN THEIR DEFICIT
ELIMINATION PLAN?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THEY
LIST BY BUILDINGS,
CASANDRA, OR IF THEY JUST
SAY, "CLOSING 1 ELEMENTARY,
"3 OF THIS, 2 OF THAT."
>> IS THE DEFICIT ELIMINATION
PLAN A PUBLIC DOCUMENT?
>> YES.
IT IS ON THEIR WEBSITE.
>> IT IS ON THEIR WEBSITE.
OKAY.
>> YEAH, AND THIS IS ONE
OF THOSE NUANCES THAT
THE QUESTION I THINK TO
UNPACK A LITTLE BIT IS--
I REMEMBER GETTING INTO
THIS WITH ROBERT BOBB.
SUDDENLY, I AM THE ONE WHO
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
60 KIDS IN A CLASSROOM,
BECAUSE WE APPROVED
THE DEFICIT ELIMINATION PLAN,
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK
YOU, IN YOUR LEGISLATIVE
REQUEST A FEW YEARS AGO,
SAID WE SHOULD HAVE
A GREATER HAND IN
THE JUDGMENTS ON THAT.
BUT WE DON'T.
IT IS KIND OF LIKE,
IF THE BOTTOM LINE FITS,
YOU HAVE TO APPROVE IT.
SOMETIMES THINGS THAT WE
WOULDN'T NECESSARILY-- OR
YOU FOR THAT MATTER, IF
YOU HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY--
WOULD AGREE WITH.
BUT THAT IS THE LOCAL
CONTROL PART THAT BOARDS
WHO ARE ELECTED, YOU KNOW,
APPROPRIATELY GET TO MAKE
THOSE DECISIONS.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO
SEE HOW THAT IS LAID OUT.
IN THIS CASE, IT IS
NOT A BOARD.
>> THAT IS RIGHT.
>> THAT'S NOT A BOARD.
BUT I-- YES, SIR.
>> JUST ON THE DAVIS--
THERE'S A CASE OF WHERE
THE BUILDING IS BEING
CLOSED, BUT NOT THE SCHOOL.
THE SCHOOL ITSELF IS MOVED
TO THE GOLIGHTLY ACADEMY,
AND MAINTAINED AS A SEPARATE
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
WITHIN GOLIGHTLY, AND
FOR ADMINISTRATIVE
PURPOSES, GOLIGHTLY/
DAVIS AEROSPACE.
BUT THE ORIGINAL BUILDING WAS
ON, I THINK, AT THE AIRPORT.
THE OTHER ONE IS DOWN ON
JEFFERSON--
>> YUP, THAT WOULD BE HARD.
>> AND I THINK THAT'S
WHERE THE TRANSPORTATION
ISSUE ARISES.
>> WE'LL DO SOME HOMEWORK
ON THESE ISSUES, TOO.
WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN
MAYBE IMPACT.
AS I SAID-- AT LEAST
THE ACCOMMODATION ISSUE--
IF IT'S-- I DON'T WANT TO
JUMP FOR JUDGMENT ON THAT.
BUT IF THAT IS VALID,
THAT THIS GENTLEMAN WHO IS
A CONTRACTOR WENT IN, AND
DIDN'T REALLY SEE MOVEMENT,
THAT IS TROUBLING, BECAUSE
THEY HAVE TO BE READY.
DAN.
>> SO I WOULD LOVE TO
DIVE INTO THIS A LITTLE
BIT MORE.
I WANT TO HONOR
THE COMMITMENT THAT EVERYBODY
MADE TO STICK WITH
THE AGENDA AND MOVE IT ALONG.
LUPE AND I WERE
SIDE BARRING HERE, AND
I HAVE FOUR OR FIVE THINGS
IN MY NOTEPAD HERE THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO SAY, BUT
MAYBE WHEN WE GET
TO THE COMMENTS?
>> YEAH.
LET'S GO.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> WE CAN MOVE TO
THE LEGISLATIVE STUFF, AND
GET TO IT.
>> WELL, GOOD.
LET'S DO IT THAT WAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
MARTY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
THE LEGISLATURE HAS
OBVIOUSLY BEEN OUT OF SESSION
SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.
SO THERE IS NOT A LOT OF
LEGISLATION MOVING,
LET ALONE INTRODUCED.
THEY HAVE HAD A FEW
MEETINGS, AS YOU KNOW.
JOHN AND RICHARD ARE GOING
TO BE TESTIFYING TOMORROW
TO THE STRING OF
COMMON CORE SUBCOMMITTEE.
THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS
SUBCOMMITTEE HAVE BEEN
MEETING JUST TO GET
A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT
ON A FEW ISSUES, INCLUDING
ADULT EDUCATION, AND
CONSOLIDATION--
THE HYBRID PLAN.
OTHER THAN THAT, NOTHING
HAS BEEN GOING ON
LEGISLATIVELY.
AS CASANDRA MENTIONED
EARLIER, WE DO HAVE
A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
MEETING ON MONDAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS
THE POINT WHERE YOU WANT
TO BRING UP-- YOU WANT
TO START DISCUSSING
THE EFFECT OF EDUCATOR
PROPOSAL RECOMMENDATION.
WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE
DRAFTING LEGISLATION
BASED ON THAT, BUT WE DON'T
KNOW WHAT IS IN IT.
NOTHING HAS BEEN INTRODUCED.
THERE IS NOTHING TO RESPOND
TO RIGHT NOW, EXCEPT
THE ACTUAL REPORT ITSELF.
SO WE CAN'T RESPOND TO
WHAT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED,
OR WHAT THEY HAVE IN MIND.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD IS.
>> MARTY,
TO GET AT KATHLEEN STRAUS'S
POINT ABOUT TRYING TO START
PUTTING MEAT ON THE BONES
ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS,
WHAT WOULD BE THE LIKELY
TIMELINE-- AND I KNOW
YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE
CAUTIOUS THAT THINGS COULD
BE CHANGED-- BUT WHAT
WOULD BE A LIKELY TIMELINE
FOR BILLS INTRODUCED, AND
WHAT THEY MAY ACCEPT
WITHIN THE REPORT?
WHAT WE MAY WANT TO
SUPPORT IN THE BILLS?
WHAT WE MAY NOT?
>> WELL, IT DEPENDS ON,
OBVIOUSLY, WHEN THEY GET
SOMETHING INTRODUCED.
IT COULD TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS
TO BEGIN DISCUSSING THIS.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE
VARIOUS SIDES OF--
THE REPORT WAS BROAD.
IT INCLUDED A LOT
OF INFORMATION, AND
A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO
SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATORS
INTRODUCE IN BILLS,
WHAT THEY PICK AND CHOOSE
FROM THE REPORT, AND WHAT
THEY WANT TO PUT IN THERE,
AND WHAT THEY DON'T.
THEN IT WILL BE UP TO
TESTIMONY, DISCUSSION,
AS TO WHAT GETS ADDED,
AND WHAT GETS PULLED OUT
THROUGH AMENDMENTS
AND WHATEVER.
SO I WOULD BE SURPRISED
IF IT HAPPENS BEFORE
THE END OF THE YEAR.
IT IS THAT COMPLICATED
OF AN ISSUE.
>> JOHN.
>> I THINK I APPRECIATE
KATHY, AND I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT THIS A BIT MORE,
ANYWAY.
OBVIOUSLY THE SET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS, AND HOW
WE EFFECTIVELY AND
SUPPORTIVELY EVALUATE
TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS
IS THE KEY TO DOING
TENURE REFORM WELL.
THIS IS THE PROCESS THAT
WAS MOVED WITH JOSEPH AND
OTHERS INVOLVED WITH
REPRESENTING MIKE SEEM TO
BE ONE OF THOSE NICE BUT
RARE EFFORTS WHERE PEOPLE
FELT IT WAS THOUGHTFUL,
SINCERE.
THE TEACHERS' UNIONS WERE
INVOLVED, AND FEEL
SUPPORTIVE GENERALLY
OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
DEB, AS WE FORWARDED--
I FORWARDED THE REPORT TO
YOU ALL RIGHT AWAY.
WE HEARD FROM DEB
PRIOR TO IT'S RELEASE.
THE LEGISLATION--
THIS IS A REPORT OF A SET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS TO
THE GOVERNOR, THE LEGISLATION,
AND TO THE STATE BOARD OF
EDUCATION.
SO I THINK IT IS REALLY
INCUMBENT UPON US TO TRY
TO BE PROACTIVE IN SAYING
WHAT WE THINK ABOUT
THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WHAT
WE ENCOURAGE IN TERMS OF
NEEDED LEGISLATION.
WHEN I MET WITH DEB
THE DAY BEFORE THE RELEASE,
WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF
THE MAJOR FEATURES
OF THIS REPORT.
THIS IS WHAT I WOULD AGAIN
ENCOURAGE-- IF IT IS A GOOD
PROCESS-- A LEGISLATIVE
COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT
MAJOR FEATURES OF WHAT IS
BEING RECOMMENDED, AND
MAYBE EVEN BEGIN TO
PROACTIVELY NAME THINGS
THAT WE THINK ARE
IMPORTANT, THAT NEED TO BE
INCLUDED IN LEGISLATION,
AND ANTICIPATE WHAT WE
MIGHT NOT LIKE IF THEY
THREW SOME OF IT OUT.
AS YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE
READ THE REPORT, THIS
BASICALLY-- AND JOSEPH
CAN CORRECT ME-- IT PROVIDES
A SET OF RECOMMENDED
EVALUATION AND OBSERVATIONS
TOOLS THAT ARE QUALITY,
AND ONE THAT THE STATE
WOULD PICK ITSELF.
ALSO, A STRATEGY FOR
INCLUDING STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT GROWTH IN
A BUNDLE OF OBSERVATIONS,
AND OTHER THINGS THAT
WOULD BE USED TO SUPPORT
THE EVALUATION.
I THINK A KEY FEATURE OF
THIS IS THAT IT DOES
BASICALLY SAY, "LOOK,
"THERE NEEDS TO BE
"RESOURCES ATTACHED TO
"SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION
"OF THE BASIC EVALUATION
"TOOLS, AND TO SUPPORT--"
NOT ONLY THE DEPARTMENT
HAS A LOT TO DO HERE TO
PROVIDE TRAINING AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,
BUT THERE IS SIGNIFICANT
NEEDED RESOURCES TO
ACCOMPANY THE MAIN,
RECOMMENDED EVALUATION
STRATEGIES, AND THERE IS
A CHANGE TOO, IN THE RANKING
OF THE EDUCATORS, THROWING
OUT THE ADVANCED--
ALL THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE
LEGISLATED, AND THE RESOURCES
NEED TO BE ATTACHED.
AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT
I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE,
AND BE ENCOURAGING, IS--
THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE
THE GOVERNOR REALLY DID
A GOOD THING IN ENCOURAGING
THE LEGISLATURE TO SET UP
THIS COMMISSION, AS IT WAS.
I HOPE THAT THE GOVERNOR'S
TEAM IS WORKING
THE LEGISLATORS ON
THE NEW LEGISLATION,
AND ALSO THE NEEDED FINANCING,
AND BEING WILLING
TO SUPPORT THAT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I
IMMEDIATELY WAS ASKING
MR. RUFF, WHO ISN'T HERE,
"ARE YOU ALL GOING
"TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF
"THE NECESSARY FUNDING
"THAT IS GOT TO IMPLEMENT THIS?
"BECAUSE THAT TO ME
"IS REAL IMPORTANT."
SO I WOULD-- COULD
EVERYONE JUST READ
THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IF YOU
HAVEN'T ALREADY, AND THEN
MAYBE CASANDRA, IF YOU ARE
WILLING, YOU ALL COULD
MEET, AND SAY, "HERE IS
"OUR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS."
WHICH MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO
EVEN BE FORWARDING AT
OUR NEXT MEETING, BUT
CERTAINLY AS ANY
LEGISLATION GETS DRAFTED
TO REFLECT UPON.
THAT IS MY TWO CENTS.
MORE THAN TWO CENTS,
SORRY.
>> WELL, I LIKE YOUR TWO CENTS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> WE'RE MAKING HEADWAY.
>> THE REASON I BROUGHT
IT UP IS BECAUSE
THE LEGISLATION DOES
SAY THAT THE REPORT WAS TO BE
GIVEN TO US, AS WELL AS
THE GOVERNOR AND
THE LEGISLATURE.
>> RIGHT, AND DEB SAID SHE
VIEWS US AS ONE OF
THE MORE IMPORTANT--
>> --TO RESPOND AND GIVE
OUR REACTION.
>> YES.
>> PUT OUR TWO CENTS--
COLLECTIVELY TWO CENTS.
MAYBE WE COULD MAKE
IT TEN CENTS.
MAYBE GIVE IT-- BEFORE
THEY FINISH DRAFTING
THIS BILL,
GIVE THEM IDEAS OF WHAT
WE THINK SHOULD
GO IN THIS BILL
BEFORE IT IS ALL DONE.
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, 8 TIMES 2
IS 16 CENTS,
I THINK.
>> HOW WE GET THERE?
THERE IS A LOT
OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
>> THERE IS A LOT
OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
REMEMBER DEB BALL.
I REALLY LIKE THE WAY WE
ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS,
BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT
PROACTIVE, AND THIS IS
A LITTLE SELFISH ON OUR
PART, BUT ESPECIALLY IN
BOLD PRINT, THAT-- LET'S
SAY WE AGREE TO ENDORSE
AND WANT TO PROMOTE
EVERYTHING IN THAT TO BE
TRANSLATED TO LEGISLATION.
THAT IS WHAT, YOU KNOW,
I THINK CASANDRA AND
THE TEAM WOULD LOOK AT
FIRST IN THE COMMITTEE.
BUT JUST FOR
THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION,
LET US ASSUME THAT WAS
ALL THOUGHT OUT.
THIS IS OUR BIGGEST FEAR:
THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET
ON PAPER GREAT LEGISLATION,
AND NO RESOURCES
TO SUPPORT IT, AND
THEY WILL BE FINGER
POINTING ABOUT WHY
THIS ISN'T HAPPENING,
OR WHY THIS ISN'T
HAPPENING WITH THE KIND OF
"OOMPH" THAT IT SHOULD BE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU CITING THAT, JOHN.
I THINK THAT IS
A GOOD RULE.
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT?
THAT THE COMMITTEE
WOULD, ON MONDAY, START
DEALING WITH THAT AND
BRING IT BACK TO
THE BOARD AS A WHOLE?
>> YUP.
>> GREAT.
>> WELL, AS JOHN SAID,
THERE ARE A LOT OF
GREAT COMPONENTS OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
EVERYBODY I THINK
CAN AGREE TO.
I THINK AS-- I THINK YOU
MENTIONED EARLIER--
THE BIG RUB WILL BE THAT
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT TOOLS, DIFFERENT
EVALUATION SYSTEMS,
THAT WERE DISCUSSED.
THEY ARE GOING TO
RECOMMEND ONE OUT OF THEM.
THAT IS WHERE THE TIME
AND THE RUB MAY BE.
YOU HAVE ALL THESE
EVALUATION SYSTEMS
LOBBYING AND ARGUING THAT
THEY SHOULD BE THE ONE.
ALL THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
THAT USE THE DIFFERENT
ONES-- IF THEY HAPPEN
TO HAVE THE ONE THAT
THE STATE ENDORSES,
THAT'S IN LAW,
THEN THEY ARE GOLDEN.
BUT IF YOU HAVE BEEN
USING ONE THAT IS NOT,
IT IS ON YOUR DIME.
SO THAT MAY BE WHERE
THE TIME AND THE STRUGGLE
MAY BE.
>> THANK YOU, MARTY.
THAT IS GOOD TO EXPAND
THAT THINKING.
JOSEPH, I KNOW YOU HAVE
YOUR OWN ISSUES.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BUT IF THERE IS A WAY
TO AVENGE YOUR--
NO, NOT THAT--
YEAH, THAT TOO.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF
YOUR CALENDAR CAN MAKE THAT
MEETING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IF IT CAN'T, IT WOULD BE
BRIEFING MARTY MORE ON--
YOU KNOW, THE RESOURCES YOU'VE
BEEN WITH SO MANY HOURS
THERE MIGHT BE HELPFUL
FOR CASANDRA'S COMMITTEE.
IF NOT-- OKAY.
>> LUPE HAS A QUESTION.
>> YES, MA'AM.
>> SO IS THE OBJECTIVE OR
THEIR GOAL TO IMPLEMENT
THIS NEW EVALUATIVE
TOOL IN THE FALL?
>> NO.
IT IS FOR THE--
>> SORRY.
>> NO, NO.
YOU GO AHEAD.
>> THE RECOMMENDATION IS
THAT THE NEXT TWO SCHOOL
YEARS BE BUILT--
BE LEGISLATIVE
AND BUILD YEARS.
OPERATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION
IN THE 2015-2016
SCHOOL YEAR.
>> SO THE NEXT TWO YEARS
THE TEACHERS SUFFER
WITH WHATEVER?
>> CONTINUING WITH WHAT WE
HAVE SO THAT WE ACTUALLY
HAVE TIME TO BUILD
A STRONG SYSTEM.
>> WHICH IS PRETTY BAD.
>> I FEEL BAD BECAUSE TEACHERS
ARE BEING LAID OFF ON
THE EVALUATIVE TOOL,
WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE,
THEY ARE USING RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THAT GOES BACK
TO EVALUATOR-- THAT IS
A CRUCIAL PART.
THEY TALK ABOUT THE TEACHER
ALL THE TIME.
BUT THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT
THE EVALUATOR EVALUATING
THE TEACHER.
THAT IS A BIG COMPONENT
BECAUSE MANY OF
THOSE EVALUATORS HAVE NOT
EVEN TAUGHT ONE DAY
IN THE CLASSROOM.
THEY ARE USING ALL THESE
DIFFERENT EVALUATIVE TOOLS,
SO THAT IS A BIG CONCERN.
>> WE DON'T HAVE
AN OFFICIAL ROLE, BUT I HAVE
SAID IN MASA, AND OTHER
KINDS OF MEETINGS,
IF I WERE A LOCAL
SUPERINTENDENT AGAIN,
I WOULD NOT BE JUMPING
AHEAD ON THIS IN TERMS
OF LAYOFF DECISIONS.
UNTIL YOU HAD ONE THAT YOU
KNEW WAS FAIR, AND OTHERWISE--
SO WHAT WOULD YOU--
I WOULD USE SENIORITY
FOR NOW.
I'D USE WHAT I AM
COMFORTABLE IN, BECAUSE
I AM NOT COMFORTABLE IN
OVERRIDING THAT UNTIL
I KNOW WHAT IS KIND
OF A FORMALLY APPROVED
TOOL THAT HAS BEEN DEBATED.
SO MOST HAVE DONE
THAT BY THE WAY.
THERE ARE A FEW THAT
I THINK ARE HANGING OUT
THERE, WHERE I DON'T KNOW
HOW-- I THINK IT IS RISKY
TO CALL A 31 YEAR
EXPERIENCED TEACHER--
WHAT IS A DESIGNATION THAT
I AM-- INEFFECTIVE
BEFORE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE
THAT YOU HAVE A SYSTEM
THAT CAN SUPPORT THAT.
IT IS UNFAIR TO THE TEACHER.
IT IS UNFAIR ALL AROUND.
>> THEY ARE GOING TO BE
COMING TO THE TENURE REVIEW.
THERE IS A LOT OF--
YOU KNOW.
I'VE KNOWN TEACHERS WITH
MANY YEARS, AND TENURE,
AND THEY ARE LIFTING
THE TENURE AWAY WITH THESE
EVALUATIONS AND FIRING THEM.
MANY OF THEM I KNOW HAVE
BEEN ACTIVE IN VOICING--
FILING GRIEVANCES
OR VOICING A DIFFERENT
POINT OF VIEW, WHICH
IS NOT BEING TOLERATED.
WHICH, I THINK, REFLECTS
A LOT OF THE FEAR THAT
YOU HEAR OF PEOPLE
AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT.
>> YEAH.
WELL, I THINK THIS IS
A GOOD PLAN, AND WE CAN BE
PROACTIVE AS JOHN AND
KATHLEEN ARE SAYING.
CASANDRA'S COMMITTEE WILL
TAKE THE NEXT STEP WITH
OUR TEAM, AND WE
WILL MOVE AHEAD.
THANK YOU.
CONSENT AGENDA.
I THINK BEFORE WE DO THAT,
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
A BRIEF VIEW OF--
I THINK RICHARD
HIGHLIGHTED AN ISSUE,
AND IT SOUNDED LIKE
LINDA HAD A POWERPOINT
THAT MIGHT CUT TO
THE CHASE ON SOMETHING.
WHILE SHE IS COMING UP--
WE WILL, IN DEBRIEF TODAY
AFTER THE MEETING,
WE WILL THINK ABOUT HOW TO
REFORMAT THE GRANTS WITH
A COUPLE SUGGESTIONS
THAT CAME UP.
I THINK IT WOULD MAKE IT
EASIER, AND ALSO INCREASE
THE CHANCES THAT WE
ARE TARGETING
THESE LIMITED DOLLARS.
WE THINK WE ARE.
WE THINK WE HAVE A SYSTEM
IN PLACE, BUT YOU MIGHT SEE
SOMETHING WE ARE NOT SEEING.
NOW, I SAID POWER POINT.
MAYBE IT IS NOT THAT.
IT IS A HANDOUT.
WHY AM I--
>> IT IS ONE PIECE OF PAPER.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THE QUESTION WAS, "HOW
"DO WE ASSIGN THE DOLLARS?
"HOW ARE THEY GIVEN OUT FOR
"THE TECH READINESS GRANT?"
WE THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT
BE HELPFUL FOR YOU TO SEE
WHAT WE DID IN 2012-2013,
AND THEN IN 2013-2014.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE CRITERIA PACKET,
YOU WILL NOTE THAT THERE
ARE AREAS WHERE DEPARTMENT
STAFF DID HAVE INPUT
ON WHAT THE CRITERIA
MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AND SO YOU HAVE THOSE
INCLUDED IN YOUR BOARD
ITEM FOR THE CRITERIA.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
I THINK CAME UP EARLIER
TODAY WAS THAT WE COULD
HAVE JUST TAKEN THE GRANT
ON ITS FACE, AND GIVEN OUT
25 $2 MILLION GRANTS TO
25 SPOTS AROUND THE STATE,
AND HAVE IMPACT ON
25 PLACES, AND STILL NOT
HAVE A SYSTEM THAT WILL
SUPPORT BEING READY FOR
ALL THE TECHNOLOGICAL
NEEDS WE HAVE IN EDUCATION.
SO THE ONE PIECE OF THIS
THAT WAS DONE ON
A PER PUPIL BASIS WAS
THE DISTRICT PARTICIPATING.
THE DISTRICTS THAT CHOSE
TO PARTICIPATE-- AND ALL OF
THEM DID, SAVE ONE OR TWO--
RECEIVED $10 PER STUDENT
IN THEIR COFFERS TO
UTILIZE FOR PURCHASING
TECHNOLOGY OR SOFTWARE
OR SOME PIECE OF
THE TECHNOLOGICAL PACKAGE.
THE REST OF THIS WENT OUT
IN PROJECT BASED AMOUNTS.
AND SO FOR INSTANCE
IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT
STATEWIDE ACTIVITIES,
WE SPENT ABOUT $17.5 MILLION.
WE ARE NOT QUITE AT
THE END OF THIS YET,
SO THAT IS WHY YOU
WILL SEE THAT.
ON SOME THINGS--
FOR INSTANCE, WE NEEDED
E-RATE NETWORK SERVICES,
AND PROJECT ACTIVITY ONE,
AS WELL AS PROJECT
MANAGEMENT.
WE HAVE SYSTEM
COMING ON BOARD--
THEY STARTED LAST SPRING--
THEY ARE CALLED MTRAx.
IT IS GOING TO GET
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER ON
A BUILDING BY BUILDING BASIS
OF WHAT THE TECH NEEDS
ARE, AND WHAT THE TECH
READINESS IS IN EACH
OF THOSE BUILDINGS.
WE WILL BE GETTING
THOSE REPORTS ON
A SEMI-ANNUAL BASIS.
THE FIRST ONE WILL BE
READY FOR US FOR
ALL SCHOOLS IN DECEMBER.
THEY WILL BE DOING
THIS WORK IN SEPTEMBER AND
OCTOBER.
THE INFORMATION WILL
BE AVAILABLE TO US.
THAT WILL BE A MUCH
BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT
THE READINESS IS
ACROSS THE STATE.
SO WE THOUGHT THAT WAS USEFUL.
WE PUT THAT SYSTEM TOGETHER.
THIRD ONE THERE IS FOR PD.
FOURTH ONE--
ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES
WAS VOLUME PURCHASING.
I SAW SOME OF YOU
HAVE iPADS TODAY.
THERE IS A GOING RATE ON
THOSE, AND IT IS USUALLY
A PRETTY FIXED PRICE.
IF YOU GO IN AND
YOU GUARANTEE THE VENDOR
THAT YOU ARE GOING TO
BUY 30,000 OF THEM,
THE PRICE USUALLY
WILL COME DOWN.
SO TRYING TO FIND
A WAY THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE
THAT PRICING IS SOMETHING
THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH
THERE.
URBAN DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY.
LAST YEAR, IT WAS A PRETTY--
HOW DO WE HELP URBAN DISTRICTS
BE TECHNOLOGICALLY READY,
AND EXCHANGE DATA
BACK AND FORTH?
THIS YEAR THAT IS
SPELLED OUT IN THE GRANT
FOR $5 MILLION FOR WHOLE
SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO PUT
A WHOLE SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY
PIECE IN PLACE?
THAT WAS LEGISLATIVELY
MANDATED.
DATA SYSTEM INTEGRATION.
HOW DO WE GET ALL OF
THE STUDENT INFORMATION
SYSTEMS TO TALK
TO EACH OTHER?
SO THAT IS WHAT
THAT PIECE IS ABOUT.
AND THEN SOME SPECIAL PROJECTS.
THIS YEAR-- I AM KIND
OF EXCITED ABOUT
THE ONE THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR WE ARE BUILDING
A SANDBOX-- AS YOU KNOW,
WE BEGIN OUR ONLINE
ASSESSMENTS AT 3rd GRADE.
YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT
A 3rd GRADER IN DOING THAT
WITHOUT HAVING HAD SOME
EXPERIENCE EARLIER IN
THEIR EDUCATIONAL CAREER.
SO WE ARE BUILDING
A SANDBOX FOR K-2 TEACHERS
TO BE ABLE TO USE TO TAKE
THEIR KIDS IN WHEN THEY
FEEL THAT IT IS RIGHT TO
DO SOME LITTLE ASSESSMENT
SORT OF PROJECTS.
TEACHERS WILL UNDERSTAND
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, AND
KIDS WILL HAVE HAD
AN EXPERIENCE IN IT BEFORE
THEY ACTUALLY GO INTO A HIGHER
STAKES TESTING ENVIRONMENT.
SO THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU
A PICTURE OF WHAT WE'VE DONE,
AND HOW THEY ARE AWARDED.
>> GOOD.
THANKS GUYS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WITH THAT IN MIND.
CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE A MOTION?
SO MOVED BY JOHN.
SUPPORT BY DAN.
ALL IF FAVOR, AYE.
>> AYE.
>> OPPOSED, SAME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION.
>> YES.
>> IN LOOKING AT
THE MINUTES, SOMETHING
ABOUT THE VOTING EXCERPT.
I NOTICED THAT ONE OF
THE MOTIONS THAT WE VOTED
ON LAST MONTH THAT WE WERE HERE
THERE WERE FOUR "YESes"
AND FOUR "NOs."
SO THAT IS A TIE.
NOW, DO YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY,
OR THE PRIVILEGE OF VOTING IN--
>> NO, THANK GOODNESS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> SO HOW DO WE TAKE
CARE OF TIE VOTES?
>> IT FAILS.
>> WELL, IF IT PASSES THEN
THE OTHER WAY--
>> IT ONLY PASSES
WITH THE MAJORITY.
>> YEAH.
>> OKAY.
I TRIED.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> DULY NOTED.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
AND THANK GOD
I DON'T HAVE A VOTE.
>> MMM-HMMM.
>> COMMENTS BY STATE
BOARD OF ED MEMBERS.
I KNOW DAN MENTIONED
THIS MIGHT BE A PLACE--
>> I HAD A QUESTION
ON ONE OF THE GRANTS.
I AM GOING TO POP IT BACK UP.
IT WAS SOME SORT OF MONEY
AND FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS
THAT WERE ABSORBING A HIGH
SCHOOL THAT WENT OUT
BETWEEN JUNE 1, 2013 AND
JUNE 30, 2013.
IS THAT FOR ALBION HIGH SCHOOL?
>> YES.
>> IT'S FOR MARSHALL.
>> IT'S FOR MARSHALL.
WAS THERE ANY EFFORT
TO DO THE SAME FOR
THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS
OF BUENA VISTA, OR INKSTER?
>> WENDY.
>> AND WHY NOT?
>> I COULDN'T SPEAK
TO THE DECISION
OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT
WAS ADDED IN A SUPPLEMENTAL,
AS A SPECIAL PROJECT.
IT WAS A PRIORITY
OF SOMEONE IN A LEGISLATURE.
IT MANAGED TO FIND ITS WAY
IN THERE.
>> FROM MARSHALL, I ASSUME.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> CHASE--
>> IT IS HIS DISTRICT.
>> MARSHALL?
OH.
>> SO THERE WAS SUPPORT
FOR HELP IN THAT--
>> AS LONG AS IT WAS
EQUITABLE AND FAIR.
>> YEAH.
IN A WAY, I AGREE WITH
THE SPIRIT OF YOUR QUESTION.
HOPEFULLY, WE CAN--
I FEAR THERE IS GOING
TO BE MORE OF THIS.
AS THAT HAPPENS,
HOPEFULLY WE CAN LOOK
BACK TO THIS AND SAY IF
WE SUPPORTED THAT THERE--
LEGISLATIVE LEADERS--
DON'T WE NEED TO SUPPORT
THAT EVERYWHERE?
I THINK RIGHT NOW-- WELL.
I THINK THAT IS AN
ARGUMENT THAT WE DON'T
WANT TO NOT HAVE IN OUR--
YES, SIR.
>> I NOTICED, TOO, THAT
THERE WAS THE GRANT FOR--
I THINK TO HELP IF
SOMEBODY WILL RUN IN THEIR
MERGER PROCESS, AND IT
DOES MAKE SENSE--
WE SHOULD NEVER SUBSIDIZE
FAILURE, BUT IT DOES MAKE
SENSE WHEN WE SEE
THE TRANSITIONS LIKE
INKSTER AND BUENA VISTA.
TO THINK ABOUT
COSTS TO HELP--
WE'RE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED
IN HELPING STUDENTS,
AS THEY EASE IN TO NEW--
AND ASSISTING THE DISTRICTS
I GUESS THAT RECEIVE
A SUDDEN BURDEN OF STUDENTS
OR PROGRAMS THAT DIDN'T--
>> YOU KNOW.
WITH THAT IN MIND,
I SHOULD GIVE A SHOUT OUT
TO WAYNE RESA WHERE I USED
TO BE SUPERINTENDENT,
AND SAGINAW INTERMEDIATE.
THEY ARE COVERING A LOT OF THIS.
TO ME IT REALLY IS A VERY--
INSPIRATIONAL MIGHT BE STRONG.
THOUGHTFUL WAY FOR ISDs
TO START SEEING THEY HAVE
ROLE TO-- MAYBE NOT LIKE
WHAT HAPPENED-- BUT
WHEN IT HAPPENS, HOW ARE
WE GOING TO MAKE IT
BEST FOR THE KIDS
THAT ARE INVOLVED THERE?
I THINK THEY STEPPED RIGHT UP
AND ARE REALLOCATING
A LOT OF THEIR OWN FUNDS TO
DO WHAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING.
YES, SIR.
>> SO BACK TO THE OAKMAN...
...DAVIS CONVERSATION.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
SO WITH THE BOARD'S
PERMISSION, MAYBE I WILL
JUST GO THROUGH ALL FOUR.
>> YEAH.
>> BEFORE, YOU SAID FIVE.
>> I DID.
BUT IT IS FOUR.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> YEAH.
THAT ONE YOU CROSSED OUT,
CASANDRA.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> I WAS ABLE TO
DO SOME COMBINING.
SO FIRST, MAYBE IT
IS FIVE JUST BECAUSE--
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> I KNEW IT.
>> I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
THE FOLKS WHO TOOK THE TIME
TO COME UP, AND SHARE
THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON
WHAT IS A VERY DIFFICULT,
EMOTIONAL, HARD ISSUE.
OBVIOUSLY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT
I WANT TO DIVE-- AT LEAST,
INITIALLY-- INTO THE KIND OF
WHAT TO DO ABOUT OAKMAN.
OTHER THAN-- ALTHOUGH I AM
SURE OTHERS WILL,
AND PERHAPS WE SHOULD.
I DON'T KNOW.
OTHER THAN YOUR SUGGESTION
MIKE, WHICH WAS TO ASK
THE SPECIAL ED DIVISION TO
ENSURE THE OTHER SCHOOLS
ARE READY FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
I THINK THIS IS AN ENTIRELY
APPROPRIATE FUNCTION FOR
THE STATE TO PLAY.
I WANT TO NOTE MY
SUPPORT FOR THAT.
ASIDE FROM THAT, IT SEEMS
TO ME THAT THERE ARE THREE
POLICY LEVEL ISSUES
LURKING IN THE BACKGROUND
HERE THAT I WANT TO MAKE
SURE ARE SURFACED.
MAYBE THEY ARE OBVIOUS FOR
EVERYBODY, BUT I WANT TO
MAKE SURE TO BE EXPLICIT
ABOUT IT.
ONE IS-- JUST TO--
DECISIONS ABOUT SCHOOLS
CLOSURE, AND TO ME,
SCHOOL OPENING.
SO THIS IS CONSISTENT
WITH SOME OF THE CHARTER
DEBATES THAT WE'VE HAD
AT THE TABLE.
BUT THE DECISIONS ABOUT
SCHOOL OPENINGS AND
CLOSURES-- I THINK
SHOULD BE MADE LARGELY ON
THE BASIS OF SCHOOL QUALITY.
I UNDERSTAND RICHARD'S
CAVEAT ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY
OF FINDING QUALITY,
AND IT'S DIFFERENT
FOR DIFFERENT PARENTS.
I COMPLETELY GET THAT.
THAT HAVING BEEN SAID,
I STILL BELIEVE THAT
THERE ARE SOME BASELINE
FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS THAT
ALL OF US WOULD CONSIDER.
IT WOULD ALLOW US
TO COME TO SOME GENERAL
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT
A QUALITY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
LOOKS LIKE, AND IS.
I THINK IT IS RIDICULOUS
THAT AS A STATE WE ALLOW
DECISIONS TO BE MADE
ABOUT NEW SCHOOLS OPENING
OR WHAT SCHOOLS CLOSED
WITHOUT REQUIRING THAT
THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATION IN
THOSE DECISIONS BE QUALITY.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY
SENSE TO ME THAT WE DON'T
HAVE THAT POLICY
IN PLACE AS A STATE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US
RECOMMEND THAT LANGUAGE
IN THE FORM OF SOME
LEGISLATIVE POLICY
THAT THE STATE ADOPT.
I CAN'T IMAGINE, ASIDE
FROM RICHARD'S COMPLAINT--
WHICH I UNDERSTAND--
ALTHOUGH, IN THE END,
DISAGREE WITH.
I CAN'T THINK OF A COMPELLING
ARGUMENT TO THE CONTRARY
AROUND THIS ISSUE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T TELL
ME WHEN THE PURPOSE OF
THE INSTITUTION IS TO
EDUCATE KIDS THAT
THE QUALITY OF THE BUILDING
MATTERS MORE THAN
THE QUALITY OF THE INSTRUCTION
GOING ON IN THE BUILDING.
IF THAT IS THE CASE--
FIX THE BUILDING.
DON'T CLOSE THE SCHOOL.
OUR RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION
JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY
SENSE TO ME.
THAT IS NUMBER ONE.
BY THE WAY, IN THIS CASE,
JUST BASED ON THE WORK
OF THE ORGANIZATION
THAT I WORKED FOR.
DAVIS AEROSPACE IS ONE
OF THE TOP TEN SCHOOLS
IN THE CITY.
IT IS A GOOD SCHOOL BY
JUST ABOUT ANY MEASURE.
A VERY UNIQUE PLACE, TO BOOT.
I'VE BEEN TO GOLIGHTLY,
BUT THERE PROBABLY
IS LITTLE DOUBT
THAT THE IMPACT OF MOVING
AWAY FROM THIS SPACE
THAT IS SO UNIQUELY TIED
TO THE KIND OF AEROSPACE
INDUSTRY WILL HAVE
SOME IMPACT ON STUDENT
LEARNING THERE.
THE OTHER THING I
WOULD NOTE HERE IS--
THIS IS ALL CONSISTENT WITH
THE QUALITY MATTERS FIRST.
DURFEE AND NOBLE--
OUR RESEARCH SUGGESTS--
I DON'T KNOW OAKMAN.
WE DID NOT EVALUATE
SCHOOLS THAT ARE PRIMARILY
SERVING STUDENTS WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS AND SO ON.
BUT NOBLE IS AN "F" SCHOOL,
FRANKLY, IN THIS OTHER WORK.
DURFEE IS A "D" SCHOOL.
>> HENDERSON?
HENDERSON IS ANOTHER
SCHOOL THEY'RE
SENDING THEM.
>> I DIDN'T LOOK UP HENDERSON.
SO I DON'T KNOW,
BUT JUST BASED ON--
I TOOK THE TIME TO LOOK.
NOT GREAT ALTERNATIVES.
NOW, THAT IS A LARGER
PROBLEM IN THE CITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOLS
THAT AREN'T GREAT
ALTERNATIVES, FRANKLY.
THE POINT IS HERE IS
THAT DECISIONS ABOUT QUALITY--
OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS SHOULD
BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF QUALITY.
I THINK IT IS HIGH TIME THAT
THE STATE HAS A POLICY IN
PLACE THAT REQUIRED THAT BE
THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATION.
LOOK, IF WE'RE GOING TO
MAKE IT THE PRIMARY
CONSIDERATION-- STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT IN EVALUATING
TEACHERS, TEACHER
PERFORMANCE-- IT SHOULD
BE THE PRIMARY
CONSIDERATION IN WHETHER
OR NOT YOU CLOSE OR OPEN
A NEW BUILDING.
TO ME THAT IS BASIC.
SECOND SUGGESTION.
ONCE AGAIN AROUND
STATE LAW AND POLICY.
IT HAS TO DO WITH
DATA BACKPACK.
SO ONE STUDENT MENTIONED,
AND I THINK IT WAS
THE YOUNG LADY THAT--
OR MAYBE IT WAS--
I DON'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS.
ONE OF THE FOLKS
TESTIFYING MENTIONED
THAT THEY WERE HAVING
A LOT OF DIFFICULTY
GETTING THE RECORDS FOR
THE STUDENTS FROM DPS
FOR THE MUMFORD STUDENTS
AT THE EAA.
I'VE HEARD THAT COMPLAINT
BEFORE, NOT NECESSARILY
ABOUT THOSE TWO INSTITUTIONS,
BUT JUST GENERALLY.
AS KIDS MOVE AROUND IN
DETROIT BETWEEN CHARTER,
AND DPS, AND EAA SCHOOLS--
THE DATA DOES NOT
TYPICALLY FOLLOW THEM.
IF IN FACT, WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE A PORTFOLIO SYSTEM
OF SCHOOLS-- MARKET PLACE
SYSTEM OF SCHOOLS,
OR WHATEVER YOU
WANT TO CALL IT.
I'M STAYING OUT OF
THE POLITICS OF WHAT IS
RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG THERE.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE
ANYTHING LIKE THAT WHERE
KIDS MOVE AROUND.
THE DATA HAS TO
FOLLOW THE KIDS.
THAT IS JUST BASIC--
IT CAN'T WORK IF THE DATA
DOESN'T FOLLOW STUDENTS.
WE NEED STATE LAW
THAT REQUIRES THAT SCHOOL
DISTRICTS TRANSFER
ALL STUDENT DATA TO
THE NEW SCHOOL OF RECORD
WITHIN BLANK WEEKS AFTER
THE STUDENT MOVES.
OTHERWISE THE SYSTEM WILL
JUST NEVER WORK WELL.
TIED TO THAT.
WE REALLY NEED TO DOUBLE DOWN
OUR EFFORTS, I THINK,
ON STATEWIDE DATA SYSTEMS.
THE NATIONAL CENTER ON
EDUCATION STATISTICS-- WHICH
I THINK A COLLEAGUE
OF OURS KNOWS WELL--
A FEW YEARS AGO IN 2009
OR 2010 BENCHMARKED
ALL THE STATE'S DATA SYSTEMS
AGAINST EACH OTHER.
I THINK THERE WERE ONLY
5 OR 6 STATES THAT WERE
WORSE THAN US IN TERMS
OF OUR STATEWIDE
LONGITUDINAL DATA SYSTEM.
SO I KNOW THAT A LOT
OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THAT.
I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY
SAY, "LET'S PUSH HARDER.
"WE HAVE TO IMPROVE
"THAT WORK, AS WELL."
LAST POINT HERE.
ON THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL CLOSINGS.
I GET THAT THERE IS THIS
EMERGENCY MANAGER ISSUE
LURKING HERE AS WELL.
I DO THINK
THE GOVERNANCE MATTERS.
I HEAR MICHELLE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS
A LITTLE ON THE CAR RIDE UP
TODAY.
I DON'T WANT TO DIVE INTO
THAT, ALTHOUGH OTHERS
MIGHT WANT TO, AND PERHAPS
I'LL MAKE COMMENTS ON
THAT LATER IF WE END UP
GETTING BACK INTO IT.
IT DOES SEEM TO ME
THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE
TO REQUIRE ALL LOCAL
SCHOOLS, WHETHER IT'S--
OF ALL GOVERNANCE TYPES
TO HOLD HEARINGS AROUND
SCHOOL CLOSURES.
THAT PROBABLY IS SUCH
A DIFFICULT, EMOTIONAL,
AND HARD ISSUE.
IT DOES IMPACT
THE FABRIC OF NEIGHBORHOODS
AND COMMUNITIES
SO SIGNIFICANTLY.
I THINK REQUIRING PUBLIC
HEARINGS TO BE HELD ON
THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL CLOSURES
IS PROBABLY NOT
TOO MUCH TO ASK.
>> NO MATTER GOVERNANCE.
>> YEAH, IT DOESN'T
MATTER THE GOVERNANCE.
>> THAT WOULD GET AT
THE ISSUE OF AN EM WOULD BE
REQUIRED TO HAVE HEARINGS.
>> THE LEGISLATIVE
COMMITTEE HAS GOT SOME
WORK TO DO HERE.
>> YEAH.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> FOR 2013-2014.
THE DAN PLAN.
I LIKE IT.
>> CAN I JUST-- DO YOU HAVE
ANY-- ANY OF YOU GUYS JUST--
[ LAUGHTER ]
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH
I CAN'T EVEN GET IT OUT TODAY.
ANY COMMENTS?
IN SOME OF THE DATA STUFF
THERE IS A LITTLE BIT
OF PROGRESS THAT WE
SHOULD TALK ABOUT
AND MAYBE BUILD ON.
THE TRANSCRIPTS.
>> FOR HIGH SCHOOLS THEY
ARE NOW WORKING ON DOING
ELECTRONIC TRANSCRIPTS,
BUT THAT IS RELATIVELY
YOUNG ACTIVITY THAT
THE STATE IS UNDERTAKING
AT THIS POINT.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS
THAT WE HOLD AT THE STATE
LEVEL, BUT THERE ARE A LOT
OF THINGS THAT ARE HELD AT
THE LOCAL LEVEL THAT REALLY
NEED TO FOLLOW THE KIDS.
WE CAN TRANSFER
STATE TEST SCORES.
WE CAN TRANSFER
THE THINGS WE HAVE HERE.
THE DEMOGRAPHICS.
THE KINDS OF THINGS
THAT WE CONTROL HERE.
BUT A LOT OF THE STUFF,
UNLIKE MANY OTHER STATES
WHERE THERE IS A CENTRALIZED
DATA SYSTEM WHERE THOSE THINGS
FOLLOW THE KIDS AUTOMATICALLY
BECAUSE THE STATE
HOLDS THE DATA,
THINGS ARE TYPICALLY HELD
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL HERE.
IT DOES MAKE THAT
TRANSFER MORE DIFFICULT.
A LOT OF THE THINGS--
THAT IS EXACERBATED BY
SO MANY LOCAL SCHOOL
DISTRICTS HAVING
A DIFFERENT DATA SYSTEM
SO THAT WHEN THEY TRANSFER
ONE TO THE OTHER IT IS NOT
JUST A SIMPLE, "LET'S
"HAND THE RECORDS OVER
"ELECTRONICALLY."
EXTRACTION, TRANSFORMATION,
LOADING INTO A NEW SYSTEM
IS REALLY DIFFICULT WORK.
>> AND WE DO HAVE-- LINDA'S
CHECKING ON THE EXACT TIMING.
THE CI-60 IS THE FORM
THAT IS SUPPOSED TO GO
WITH THE KIDS.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT YOUR
POINT ABOUT WHETHER
WE SHOULD HAVE
A REQUIREMENT THAT
IT GOES AN "X" NUMBER OF WEEKS.
I THINK THERE IS
A REQUIREMENT THAT IT GOES
AN "X" AMOUNT OF TIME.
WHAT THAT AMOUNT OF TIME
IS, AND HOW MUCH IT
IS HAPPENING CLEARLY
IS THE QUESTION,
AND THAT HAS BEEN OBVIOUS.
JUST TO KIND OF LET YOU KNOW.
NOT THAT THAT IS NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE HAPPENING NOW.
BUT SOMETHING IS FALLING
DOWN IN IMPLEMENTATION.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT
WE NEED TO--
>> SO WHY DON'T WE--
WE'LL FIND OUT AND
DEBRIEF ME LATER TODAY.
WHAT IS THE IS.
AND I THINK THERE IS
STILL A LOT OF MERIT
TO THE BOARD BEING PROACTIVE
WITH REQUIRED STATEMENTS.
EVEN IF WE HAD THIS
IN PLACE DOESN'T MEAN--
WELL, IF WE HAD IT IN PLACE,
AND THEY'RE JUST NOT--
MAYBE WITH OUT ANY MALICE--
THEY'RE JUST NOT
MEETING TIME LINES.
THAT IS ONE ISSUE THAT
WE CAN GET PROACTIVE
ON IN THE DEPARTMENT.
BUT IF IT IS NOT EVEN
AN APPROPRIATE REQUIREMENT,
OR IT IS OUT SO FAR THAT
I THINK, DAN, YOU HAD
A SUGGESTED TIME.
IN A CLEAN, ELECTRONIC
WORLD, IT COULD BE LIKE "THAT."
YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD--
YOU SAW FROM WHAT LINDA
PROJECTED WITH TECHNOLOGY.
THAT'S WHAT ONE OF THESE WAS.
TO TRY TO HAVE THE SYSTEMS
TALK TO EACH OTHER.
IT IS ALL PART OF THIS KIND
OF MOSAIC TO GET TO THAT POINT.
YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE--
>> THERE WAS A POINT I
WAS GOING TO MAKE
IN THE OTHER PIECE.
IT IS DEPENDENT ON A DISTRICT
MAKING A REQUEST FOR
THE RECORD, AND THAT
THEN COMING INTO THE NEW
DISTRICT OF THE NEW
SCHOOL, OR THE OLD SCHOOL.
WE SEND THE RECORDS AND
THEN THAT GROUP BUNDLING
THEM UP ELECTRONICALLY--
>> LINDA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> SORRY.
>> I COULDN'T HEAR YOU.
YOU WERE BLOCKED BY JOSEPH.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> JUST A PART OF THE SYSTEM
IS THAT CURRENTLY YOU
HAVE THE NEW STUDENT
GOES IN, THEY ENROLL.
NOW THE DISTRICT WHERE
THEY ENROLLED HAS TO BE
MAKE A REQUEST OF
THE OLD SCHOOL.
PLEASE SEND THE RECORDS.
THAT GETS SENT UP.
IMAGINE THIS TIME OF YEAR
WHEN YOU HAVE ALL KINDS
OF KIDS MOVING AROUND.
THE REQUEST GETS SENT OVER.
EITHER ELECTRONICALLY,
EVENTUALLY, OR NOW
IN THE BUNDLE
THAT GETS SENT OVER.
ALL THAT HAS TO BE SORTED
OUT THROUGH ANOTHER SYSTEM.
PUT INTO SOME SORT
OF AN ENVELOPE OR
MAIL OR ELECTRONICALLY
AND THEN SENT TO
THE NEW SYSTEM.
AND THEN PUT IN.
SO WHAT WE GET INTO IS
THIS WHOLE, "WHO ASKS?
"WHO GIVES?
"WHAT KIND OF TIMING?"
MIKE IS RIGHT.
IT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD
PAY ATTENTION TO BECAUSE
WE GET KIDS WHO HAVE NO--
WE DON'T KNOW IF
THEY HAVE IDs.
THEY COME INTO OUR BUILDING,
AND OUR DISTRICT, AND WE HAVE
TO TAKE THE PROPER ACTION--
>> AND YOU KNOW, DAN'S
POINT ON THE FIRST ITEM
YOU MENTIONED.
WITH THIS-- IF IT TURNS
OUT THAT IT IS JUST NOT
BEING ENFORCED, THEN
WE COULD HAVE A STRATEGY
WE'LL SHARE IN
THE MID-MONTH REPORT.
BUT IF IT BEYOND THAT IT
DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM
THESE OTHER REQUIREDS THAT
YOU MENTIONED AS POLICY.
I THINK THIS IS AN
APPROPRIATE ROLE.
>> I'M JUST TRYING
TO UNDERSTAND.
IS THE SITUATION THAT--
NEEDS TO BE BUILT OUT A LOT
MORE, AND COULD INCLUDE
A LOT MORE DATA THAT
WE COULD HAVE INSTANTLY?
AND OR THERE IS ALL THIS
LOCAL DATA THAT IS RIGHTFULLY
KEPT AT THE SCHOOL, BUT IT
IS JUST INCOMPATIBLE AND
NON-TRANSFERRED, AND WE NEED
TO MAKE IT MORE TRANSFERABLE
OR BOTH OF THOSE THINGS?
>> THE ISSUE IS THAT THERE
ARE OTHER STATES WHERE
THE STATE DATA SYSTEMS HOLD
A LOT MORE DATA, AND
THE TRANSFER OF ELECTRONIC
INFORMATION CAN HAPPEN
INSTANTLY WITH WHAT
IS HELD BY THE STATE.
>> AND NOT ONLY DOES
IT HOLD MORE DATA,
BUT IT IS A TRANSACTIONAL
REAL TIME SYSTEM.
OURS IS NOT CURRENTLY A
TRANSACTIONAL REAL TIME SYSTEM.
IT IS SUBMITTED IN
CERTIFIED COLLECTIONS
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THE OTHER STATES DO MORE OF A--
IF YOU PULL IT ON MONDAY
AND SAY, "HOW MANY
"KIDS ARE HERE?"
IT IS ONE NUMBER, BUT IF
YOU PULL IT ON TUESDAY
IT IS ANOTHER NUMBER.
THAT IS NOT HOW OUR SYSTEM IS.
SO IT IS BOTH.
IT WOULD NEED TO COLLECT
MORE, AND WOULD NEED
TO COLLECT IT IN MORE OF
A REAL TIME ITERATIVE, WHICH
IS ALSO PART OF THAT
STUDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
TALKING UP TO THE STATE.
WHICH IT CURRENTLY--
THERE ARE SO MANY LOCAL SYSTEMS
THAT IT WOULD BE HARD TO BUILD
THAT TRANSACTIONAL SYSTEM.
SO IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
DID NOT MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF.
>> YES, MA'AM.
>> THE RECORDS THAT THEY
WERE TALKING ABOUT.
WERE THERE RECORDS BEING ASKED
BY AN EAA FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL?
A TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL?
>> FROM DPS.
>> AND THEY WERE TAKING
LONGER PERIODS OF TIME?
MAYBE IT WAS INTENTIONAL.
I TAUGHT FOR MANY, MANY
YEARS, AND ANY STUDENT THAT
CAME THROUGH OUR BUILDING--
THE SECRETARY RIGHT AWAY
ASKED FOR THE RECORDS--
AND IT WAS HARD COPIES.
A WHOLE FOLDER.
THEY WERE TRANSFERRED.
SO WE GOT THEM
WITHIN A FEW DAYS.
THERE WAS NOT THIS
PILE-UP AT ALL.
NOW, THE OTHER THING
THAT DAN ALLUDED TO WAS
CLOSING THE SCHOOLS.
NOW, IN GRAND RAPIDS
THEY CLOSE--
THE SUPERINTENDENT THAT WE HAD
BEFORE, HAD A PUBLIC HEARING.
HE DID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.
HE HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS
ON THIS PARTICULAR ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL THAT WAS VERY POPULAR.
IT WAS DOING VERY WELL,
LIKE THEY DESCRIBED
THIS SCHOOL TO BE DOING.
BUT HE GOT IT INTO
HIS BRAIN THAT HE HAD
TO CLOSE THAT SCHOOL.
HE CLOSED IT.
NOW, THIS NEW SUPERINTENDENT
OPENED THAT SCHOOL,
AND THEY DID THE REMODELING.
THE COMMUNITY AND
THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS VIBRANT.
IT IS VERY HAPPY.
NOW THOSE STUDENTS ARE GOING
TO WALK TO SCHOOL AGAIN.
SO A LOT OF SCHOOLS ARE
CLOSED BY STUBBORNNESS-- YES.
IT IS NOT QUALITY, BECAUSE
THAT SCHOOL WAS QUALITY.
A LOT OF SCHOOLS WERE
CLOSED JUST BECAUSE.
NOW, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
YES, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THEM.
IF THEY ARE GOING TO LISTEN.
BUT IF THEY HAVE
THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND--
THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS TELLING
THEM, THE COMMUNITY,
THE LEADERS, THE PARENTS,
THE CHILDREN.
EVERYBODY WAS SAYING,
"PLEASE DON'T CLOSE THIS
"SCHOOL, DOT, DOT, DOT."
"OH, NO, I'M GOING TO CLOSE IT.
"I AM THE AUTHORITY HERE,
"AND I KNOW THE BEST WAY."
SO A LOT OF MISTAKES
ARE MADE LIKE THAT.
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO GO
THROUGH ALL THE PROCESS
THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT,
AND STILL DOESN'T HELP.
>> RIGHT.
>> BECAUSE THE SUPERINTENDENTS
STILL THINK THEY KNOW IT ALL
IN MANY CASES--
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> PRESENT COMPANY EXCLUDED.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THANK YOU.
NO.
I HAD TO GO FROM 17 TO 15
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHEN I
WAS A LOCAL SUPERINTENDENT,
AND WE HAD A TASK FORCE.
EVERY SCHOOL WAS
REPRESENTED ON IT.
IT WENT ON FOR A FULL YEAR.
A FULL YEAR.
I THINK-- IF I REMEMBER
THIS RIGHT-- AT LEAST
ONE OF THE TWO THAT WAS
CLOSED-- PRETTY MUCH
BOTH OF THEM-- BUT ONE
SAID, "THAT WAS THE RIGHT
"DECISION," AND HELPED TAKE
THE HEAT FOR THAT CLOSURE,
BECAUSE THEY SAW
THE LOGIC OF WHATEVER
THAT WAS AT THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, I-- THIS IS
REALLY GOOD STUFF, AND
THERE IS ONE MORE LEVEL
OF COMPLEXITY.
IT STILL SUPPORTS
THE SPRIT BEHIND IT.
YOU COULD HAVE THE QUALITY
SCHOOLS STAY OPEN.
YOU CLOSE THE SCHOOL THAT
IS OF LESSER QUALITY, AND
TRANSFER AND OTHER THINGS
THAT OCCUR DON'T MEAN
IT IS THE SAME SCHOOL.
IT IS STILL LARGELY
THE SAME SCHOOL, SO THAT
THE VISION BEHIND THAT--
I STILL THINK OUTWEIGHS
THE COMPLEXITY.
BUT YOU COULD LITERALLY
HAVE 25% OF A DIFFERENT
CREW THERE, AND THE CULTURE
THEN BUILT ON THE TEACHERS
THAT WERE THERE, AND
WORKING TOGETHER--
BUT HAVING SAID THAT,
IT IS STILL GOING TO BE
THE MAJORITY IN MOST CASES.
WHY NOT START WITH
THE QUALITY SCHOOL FIRST,
AND LET THE OTHER SCHOOL
FALL AS IT MAY?
>> BETTER SHOT AT SUCCESS.
>> MY EXPERIENCE WITH
A LOT OF TEACHERS THAT
MIGHT NOT PERCEIVE TO BE
BRINGING QUALITY INTO
THEIR SCHOOLS.
IT IS WHEN THEY GET
AN ENVIRONMENT, AND HAVE
A NEW START WHERE THEY SEE
A DIFFERENT VISION, AND
A NEW QUALITY--
THEY RISE TO THE OCCASION.
THEY CAN BE PULLED DOWN
BY-- I DON'T WANT TO FALL
TO PRINT-- BUT I'VE HAD
EXPERIENCE WHERE YOU CAN TELL.
IT'S A PRINCIPAL THAT WAS
MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CULTURE
THAT WASN'T PRODUCTIVE.
GET OUT OF THAT ENVIRONMENT.
SUDDENLY YOU ARE A TEACHER
THAT'S BEEN BOUNCED
IN SENIORITY,
OR WHATEVER IT IS.
SUDDENLY,THAT TEACHER
IS STEPPING UP.
BUT I THINK THIS IS REALLY
A SMART DISCUSSION BECAUSE
WE TALK ABOUT QUALITY SO MUCH,
AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THIS,
AND IT IS KIND OF LIKE WE'RE
MISSING THE MAIN PIECE HERE.
KATHLEEN.
>> I THINK THAT THE POINTS
DAN RAISES ARE VERY VALID.
I REMEMBER WHEN ROBERT BOBB WAS
THE EM-- EFM I GUESS IT WAS.
HE WAS CLOSING SCHOOLS
RIGHT AND LEFT.
HE WAS CLOSING SOME OF
THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE CITY.
AFTER HE CAME HERE
AND TALKED TO US.
WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION
TO HIM-- WE THE BOARD--
NOT TO CLOSE SCHOOLS
THAT ARE TOP QUALITY.
HE SHOULD USE THAT
AS A CRITERION.
AS THE CRITERION.
BUT HE DID IT ANYWAY.
I MEAN HE DIDN'T
PAY ANY ATTENTION.
YOU TALK ABOUT SUPERINTENDENTS--
EMs THINK THEY KNOW
EVERYTHING, AND THEY HAVE
THE AUTHORITY TO DO
EVERYTHING, AND NOT PAY
ATTENTION TO ANYBODY ELSE.
IT IS VERY DETRIMENTAL
THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER
TO IMPROVE THE SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION.
DETROIT-- YOU KNOW ONE
OF THE THINGS THEY SAY
ABOUT MAKING A SCHOOL
BETTER IS HAVING SOME
STABILITY--
STABILITY IN THE SCHOOLS.
STABILITY IN THE LEADERSHIP.
DETROIT HAS HAD-- WHAT
IS IT-- TEN PEOPLE IN
TEN YEARS--
>> FIRING ALL THE TEACHERS--
>> TO RUN THE SCHOOLS.
IT IS JUST DESTRUCTIVE.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY
THE WRONG WAY TO GO.
HERE WE KEEP DOING IT.
I THINK THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE
THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT.
WHAT DO WE DO TO HELP
SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THE EM IS NOT THE ANSWER.
I DON'T THINK.
THE IDEA OF CLOSING SCHOOLS.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE TODAY
SAID THAT IT IS
DESTROYING NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT IS.
ONCE THE SCHOOLS IS GONE
THERE IS NO NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> LUPE, THEN MICHELLE.
>> YOU PUT ANY OF US
TO PERFORM A HEART SURGERY.
ANY OF US.
WE'RE NOT EQUIPPED.
THAT IS NOT OUR CALLING.
AND THAT IS WHAT THEY
ARE DOING IN THE SCHOOLS.
THEY PUT PEOPLE THAT KNOW
VERY LITTLE ABOUT EDUCATION,
AND HAVE NEVER TAUGHT
A DAY IN THEIR LIVES
TO RUN OUR SCHOOLS.
HOW ARE THEY GOING
TO BE SUCCESSFUL?
>> RIGHT.
YES, MA'AM.
>> MAYBE I'LL CHALK THIS UP
TO BEING NEW.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
ABOUT THE GOVERNANCE IN DETROIT.
SO THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY
MANAGER, THAT IS APPOINTED
BY THE GOVERNOR.
SO THE POINT ABOUT
IS THERE LOCAL CONTROL?
WHO IS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE--
AND BY ACCOUNTABLE,
I MEAN ALSO LEGALLY.
IF THERE IS AN OBLIGATION
TO PROVIDE A CERTAIN LEVEL
OF EDUCATION, LIKE WE HAVE
A CASE GOING RIGHT NOW.
WHAT IS TO SAY THAT THIS
WON'T ALSO RISE--
ANYTIME YOU HAVE
AN EMERGENCY MANAGER,
AND YOU HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD
THAT HAS BEEN WIPED OUT
MOST OF IT'S AUTHORITY--
WHY SHOULDN'T THE STATE
BE HELD RESPONSIBLE?
IF THEY WANT THE
AUTHORITY THEN THEY SHOULD
TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY.
IT IS LIKE PLAYING
BOTH SIDES.
"OH NO, IT IS LOCAL
"CONTROL," BUT THERE IS
NOBODY THERE, YOU KNOW.
WHO DO YOU HOLD--
YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS SAID
THE SAYING THAT PEOPLE
ARE OFTEN FOR PERSONAL
ACCOUNTABILITY EXCEPT
WHEN IT IS THEM.
[ LAUGHTER ]
SO IT IS LIKE THAT FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, TEACHERS SHOULD
BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
PRINCIPALS SHOULD
BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPLEMENTING
THESE POLICIES.
IT IS COMING FROM THE STATE--
>> LAWS.
>> YEAH, THE LAWS
THAT ARE ENFORCING THIS.
WHY AREN'T THEY
HELD ACCOUNTABLE?
I DON'T UNDERSTAND--
>> I THINK YOU ARE, AND ALL OF
US ARE NAMED DEFENDANTS IN
THAT SUIT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WE ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> MAY I JUST MAKE A POINT?
I STILL PUT IN, TO
THE DISCOMFORT OF OTHER
FOLKS IN STATE GOVERNMENT.
I PUT MY MDE BUDGET EVERY
YEAR-- $200 MILLION.
REIMBURSE DETROIT FOR WHAT I
THINK YOU CAN MAKE A CASE.
OVER TWELVE YEARS-- WE
HAVE TEN OF THE TWELVE--
WE, THE COLLECTIVE WE, AND
THEREFORE SHOULD
THINK ABOUT THAT.
NOT THE WHOLE BURDEN THERE.
BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE
MADE, AND CAN CONTINUE
TO MAKE A CASE THAT
$200 MILLION SHOULD GO INTO
THE ALLOCATION FOR THEM
TO REDUCE THEIR DEFICIT.
BECAUSE OF THE VERY THING
YOU ARE BRINING UP.
HOW DO YOU SHIRK--
YOU KNOW, IT IS DIFFERENT
ADMINISTRATIONS THERE.
GOVERNOR GRANHOLM AND
GOVERNOR SNYDER.
THIS ISN'T POLITICAL
TO SAY THAT-- IT GOES ALL
THE WAY BACK, REALLY, TO--
>> ENGLER DID IT, WITH
LEGISLATURE--
>> WITH--
>> ADAMANY--
>> WELL, ADAMANY,
AND KEN BURNLEY.
THEN IT WENT BACK TO THE BOARD
FOR MAYBE TWO YEARS.
SO THERE HAS BEEN A MISHMASH
OF POLICIES THAT--
I THINK ONE COULD IF
YOU STEP BACK AND
WANTED TO BE FAIR--
THAT DEFICIT.
HOW MUCH OF IT WAS STATE
OWNED IN ONE CAPACITY
OR ANOTHER, AND SHOULD
BE REIMBURSED?
SO WE PUT THAT IN EVERY
YEAR, AND YOU KNOW--
>> BUT JUST TO YOUR POINT.
WHERE IS THE DEMOCRATIC
POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY?
>> OR THE LEGAL?
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> IT IS CLEAR IN THIS
WHEN YOU HAVE--
THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS
THE RESPONSIBILITY
WITH WHATEVER OTHER
RESPONSIBILITIES WE
ALL HAVE.
WITH SET CONDITIONS FOR
LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS.
WHEN YOU HAVE AN
EMERGENCY MANAGER.
IT IS IN PLACE BECAUSE
THERE IS AN EMERGENCY
MANAGER LAW THAT CREATES
A DYNAMIC WHEREBY
THE GOVERNOR POINTS,
BUT THE LEGISLATURE
APPROVES THAT LAW.
SO I WOULD ARGUE THAT
THE POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY
THEN DOES LIE WITH
THE LEGISLATURE,
AND THE GOVERNOR.
WHO HAS TO EXECUTE.
BUT BOTH.
BECAUSE THEY BASICALLY
TOOK AWAY THE DEMOCRATIC
ACCOUNTABILITY, UNDER
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND
TO PLACE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO THAT IS WHERE
THE ACCOUNTABILITY HAS TO LIE.
I THINK THAT IS NOT
INCONSISTENT WITH SOME
OF THE NOTIONS OF WHO
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THESE SORTS OF SITUATIONS.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
IN TERMS OF ELECTIONS BUT
ALSO--
>> POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY
MATTERS.
I REALLY BELIEVE IN--
FOR EXAMPLE WHEN--
I THINK IT IS OFTEN HEALTHY
WHEN A MAYOR IS WILLING
TO PUT UP THEIR HAND,
AND SAY, "I DO WANT TO BE
"HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE
"SCHOOLS IN MY COMMUNITY.
"I AM A DEMOCRATICALLY
"ELECTED PERSON."
IT IS REALLY HARD TO HOLD
A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD
ACCOUNTABLE, JUST BECAUSE
IT IS MULTI-HEADED,
AND YOU DON'T KNOW
THEM AS WELL.
WHERE IT EASIER TO HOLD
A MAYOR ACCOUNTABLE.
MOST MAYORS ARE NOT
WILLING TO TAKE THAT RISK.
DALEY DID IN CHICAGO.
I THINK THE GUY IN D.C.--
>> BLOOMBERG DID IN NEW YORK.
>> RIGHT.
SO THAT IS JUST
LOCATING THE POLITICAL
ACCOUNTABILITY.
WHO IS THE DEMOCRATICALLY
ELECTED ENTITY THAT IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR EDUCATION?
IT COULD BE A SCHOOL BOARD.
IT COULD BE A MAYOR.
IN THIS CASE, IT IS
A LEGISLATURE-- WITH
A GOVERNOR APPOINTEE,
HAD THAT TAKEN
THE RESPONSIBILITY--
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> THEN WHY DON'T WE
HAVE SOME INFLUENCES,
IS MY QUESTION?
IF IT IS NOT A MATTER
OF LOCAL CONTROL.
THEN WHY DOESN'T THIS BOARD
OR THE STATE DEPARTMENT
HAVE MORE INFLUENCE OVER
THESE DECISIONS.
>> THE LAW JUST DOESN'T
PROVIDE IT.
YOU KNOW, IT
WOULD'VE BEEN GOOD.
BUT THE LAW DIDN'T PROVIDE IT.
THAT IS THE POSITION--
YES, MA'AM.
>> WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS--
WE CAN'T SAY WHATEVER WE
THINK IT SHOULD BE.
IT HAS TO BE WRITTEN SOMEWHERE.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
SO IT HAS TO BE WRITTEN
SOMEWHERE THAT ONCE THE STATE
AND THE LEGISLATURE SAY THEY
ARE GOING TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY
MANAGER WE ARE RESPONSIBLE.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE
NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION.
>> WE ARE.
>> THE CONSTITUTION OVERRIDES--
I WOULD ARGUE--
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
THE BOARD IS SUPPOSED TO BE
SUPERVISING ALL PUBLIC
EDUCATION, AND THAT SHOULD
INCLUDE STUFF UNDER
THE EMs, TOO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WE REALLY HAVE NO SAY--
>> WE HAVE THE SAME
SAY THAT WE DO OVER ANY,
AND ALL OTHER SCHOOLS.
>> WELL, WE SHOULD--
>> IT IS NOT THE STATE BOARD.
ACTUALLY, IF YOU READ--
THE STATE.
THE STATE HAS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR DELIVERING
WHATEVER THE LANGUAGE OF FREE
AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
>> RIGHT.
>> THE STATE BOARD HAS
PARTICULAR RESPONSIBILITIES--
>> TO SUPERVISE ALL
PUBLIC EDUCATION--
>> RIGHT.
AROUND ADVISING,
WHATEVER THE LANGUAGE IS.
I DON'T REMEMBER
EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
>> LEADERSHIP, AND SUPERVISION,
AND RECOMMEND THE FINANCES.
>> BUT THE STATE.
NOW, WE'RE A PART OF THE STATE.
RIGHT?
I MEAN, YOU GET INTO ALL
SORT OF LEGALITIES THERE.
THE STATE IS
TECHNICALLY ACCOUNTABLE.
THAT IS WHAT ALLOWS--
I THINK-- THE STATE
LEGISLATURE TO PASS A LAW
THAT CREATES AN EMERGENCY
MANAGER, RIGHT?
BECAUSE THE STATE
IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR DELIVERING
A FREE AND PUBLIC EDUCATION
WHEN YOU HAVE A DISTRICT
THAT IS NOT GOING TO OPEN--
THE STATE IS CONSTITUTIONALLY
OBLIGATED TO ACT--
ONE COULD ARGUE.
I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO
THIS OTHER-- I'M SORRY.
I INTERRUPTED YOU.
FINISH YOUR POINT.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING WE
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, I THINK.
MAYBE MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
TO DO SOMETHING MORE EFFECTIVE
THAN WHAT WE'VE GOT.
IF YOU LOOK AT MUSKEGON
HEIGHTS-- THEY APPOINTED AN EM.
HE PICKED MOSAICA.
IT IS A FAILURE FROM WHAT
I UNDERSTAND.
THE SPECIAL ED KIDS ARE
NOT GETTING SERVICE.
I DON'T KNOW IF OUR DEPARTMENT
HAS INVESTIGATED THAT, BUT
FROM WHAT I'VE READ
IN CLIPPINGS AND EVERYTHING
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE
BEING SHORTCHANGED COMPLETELY.
THE MOSAICA DIDN'T HAVE
THE RESOURCES.
DIDN'T HAVE THE KNOW-HOW.
IT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS
GETTING INTO, WHICH WAS A BAD
THING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION.
WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH
A DIFFERENT WAY
OF DEALING WITH THIS
KIND OF A PROBLEM.
>> YOU KNOW, IT IS
A DOUBLE-EDGED ISSUE, I THINK.
WATCHING THIS THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS.
I STILL ADMIRE CARLA SCOTT
FOR TRYING TO GET ONE MORE VOTE.
HAD SHE BEEN ABLE TO GET
ONE MORE VOTE.
WHICH SHE WORKED HARD AT,
AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THERE.
THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
THEY WOULD HAVE
IMPLEMENTED THAT PLAN.
THEY JUST-- REMEMBER?
IT JUST STALLED.
SO I THINK WHAT IT HAS
DONE-- AND WE'LL NEVER
QUITE KNOW THIS-- BUT
CAROL AND I HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THIS.
I THINK LARGE NUMBERS OF
DISTRICTS THAT HAVE--
EVEN WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS
WE HAVE WITH REVENUE
AND THE REST.
THEY HAVE MADE DECISIONS
ON THEIR OWN, AND MADE
TOUGH DECISIONS IN SOME CASES.
SO THAT THEY CAN HOLD ON
TO THAT LOCAL CONTROL.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE
IF THEY WEREN'T SAYING,
"WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS
"BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE
"TO US DOING THIS IS-- YOU
"KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
"IT'S GOING TO START
THE PROCESS."
SO WHETHER THE PROCESS,
THE LAWS THAT ARE IN PLACE
BE AMENDED-- I AGREE
WITH THAT, BY THE WAY--
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE
ISN'T AN ULTIMATE WAY
TO KEEP THE CONTROL.
AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE VOTE.
JUST ONE VOTE THAT DAY.
I REMEMBER WE LEFT SHOCKED.
I KEPT THINKING--
IN THOSE DAYS-- I'M HAPPY
TO BE OUT OF THIS--
IN THOSE DAYS WE HAD
TO START THE PROCESS ONCE
THEY COULDN'T GET THE VOTE
TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN.
THEN IT WENT TO
GOVERNOR GRANHOLM,
AND ROBERT BOBB.
THE REST IS HISTORY.
IF I HAD TO ADD ONE PIECE
TO THIS WHEN WE, MAYBE,
FORMALIZE IT-- CASANDRA'S
COMMITTEE, SOMEWHERE--
WE DON'T HAVE AN EXIT
STRATEGY IN THE LAW.
THE LAW DOESN'T
PRESCRIBE ENOUGH.
SO WHEN IS ENOUGH TO COME OUT?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
WE'RE WORKING *** THIS.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING
TO SAY YET BECAUSE
WE HAVEN'T FIGURED
THIS TOTALLY OUT.
BUT HERE WE ARE ROUGHLY
SOMETIME THIS LATER FALL--
NEEDING TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT I THINK WILL BE
A VERY SMALL NUMBER
OF SCHOOLS THAT AREN'T
MAKING THE PROGRESS,
AND ARE ELIGIBLE FOR EAA.
WHAT WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH
IS WHAT IS THE EXIT
ISSUE RELATED?
IT IS NOT CLEAR.
WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE.
RIGHT NOW, I FEEL LIKE
WE ARE IN MORALLY--
MAYBE THAT IS NOT
EXACTLY THE RIGHT WORD.
WE'RE IN A DEFENSIBLE
POSITION OF SAYING,
"IF THEY'RE IMPROVING
"THEN WE'RE NOT PUTTING
"THEM IN."
THE REASON I FELT THE NEED TO
RESPOND A LITTLE BIT EARLIER
THAT WE ARE NOT PUTTING 5% IN--
5% IS A COUPLE HUNDRED.
AT MOST IT IS GOING TO BE
A VERY SMALL NUMBER.
THAT IS BECAUSE WE CAN
DEFEND THAT WHAT OTHERS
ARE DOING IN EXACTLY
THE SAME SPOT.
WITH THE EXACT SAME MONEY.
YET, A COUPLE JUST AREN'T.
BUT WE WANT TO BE IN
A POSITION SO WHAT IS IT
THAT THEY FINALLY DO SAY,
"YOU'RE NOT IN THERE ANYMORE."
THESE ARE THE PROBLEMS
WITH SOME OF THE LAWS
THAT HAVE BEEN THROWN IN.
THEY ARE THROWN IN WITH
AN ENTRANCE STRATEGY.
THEY ARE NOT THROWN IN
WITH AN EXIT STRATEGY.
>> THAT ALSO RAISES
THE QUESTION-- AND MAYBE IT
IS TOO SOON TO KNOW THIS.
WHICH I THINK MEANS IT IS
TOO SOON TO PUT MORE SCHOOLS IN.
BUT ARE THE EAA SCHOOLS
IMPROVING?
>> WELL, I MEAN IT
IS ONE YEAR DATA.
>> EXACTLY.
>> WE WON'T--
YES, MA'AM.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> I SAW EILEEN WAVING AROUND.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY
THAT THIS IS SUCH
A DIFFICULT SITUATION,
BUT WE DON'T HAVE
THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
WE CAN SEE THINGS THAT WE
KNOW COULD BE BETTER.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY
TO ANALYZE WHO WOULD
DO THEM BETTER.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY
TO IMPLEMENT IT.
THE IDEA BEING--
TIED INTO THIS DECISION
MAKING PROCESS IN WHICH WE
ARE NOT COMPETENT, BECAUSE
WE ARE NOT A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD.
WE ARE A POLICY MAKING BOARD.
AND THEN BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE
FOR ACTIONS THAT DON'T
WORK IS TERRIFYING.
I DON'T LIKE THE SYSTEM
AS IT IS.
MY HUSBAND IS VERY FOND
OF SAYING THIS ADVICE
IS WORTH EXACTLY WHAT
YOU PAID FOR.
I DO WITH THAT THERE IS
A WAY WE COULD ADVISE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW UNDER
CURRENT LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
WHETHER WE COULD ADVISE,
AND NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE
FOR THINGS THAT ARE OUT
OF OUR CONTROL.
>> TWO OTHER QUICK POINTS
THAT I WILL MAKE,
AND THEN I'M DONE.
THE FIRST IS THAT--
ONE OTHER POTENTIAL THING
FOR THE LEGISLATURE
TO PICK UP.
I HAVE LONG MAINTAINED--
I COULD BE CRAZY.
I'M SURE I'LL TAKE SOME
HEAT FOR SAYING IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT A BOARD
OF ED GOVERNANCE MODEL
IS THE END-ALL-BE-ALL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS EVEN
TRUE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
QUITE HONESTLY.
STATES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY
HAVE DIFFERENT MODELS.
SOME ARE ELECTED STATE BOARDS.
SOME ARE APPOINTED
STATE BOARDS.
JUST DIFFERENT MODELS.
FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT
ONES, IF I REMEMBER
THE NASBE DOCUMENT I LOOKED
AT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE
COULDN'T OFFER THE SAME
THING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
HERE IN MICHIGAN.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHY IS
EVERYBODY USING A BOARD?
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ONE
THING WE SHOULD CONSIDER
IS A STATE LAW THAT ALLOWS
LOCAL COMMUNITIES
TO DECIDE THEIR OWN
FORM OF GOVERNANCE.
SOME MIGHT PREFER
MAYORAL CONTROL.
SOME MIGHT PREFER
AN ELECTED BOARD.
SOME MIGHT PREFER SOMETHING--
THERE SHOULD BE A LAUNDRY LIST
OF FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT
OPTIONS, AS LONG AS IT IS
MANAGEABLE IN TERMS OF
REPORTING BACK TO
THE DEPARTMENT, AND
THE INFORMATION THAT
THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS IN
ORDER TO HOLD THESE
ENTITIES ACCOUNTABLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE
WOULDN'T ALLOW FOR
MULTIPLE GOVERNANCE TYPES.
I'VE NEVER QUITE
UNDERSTOOD THAT.
>> CAN MARTY RUN WITH THAT?
THAT WILL HELP GET SOME
FOLKS OFF MY BACK
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> ABSOLUTELY.
LOOK, IT IS AT LEAST
A CONVERSATION THAT I FEEL
LIKE WE SHOULD BE HAVING.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT.
I THINK IN FAIRNESS TO
THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION--
THEY ARE TRYING TO
CONVENE SOME DISCUSSION
ALONG THOSE LINES EVEN
WITHIN THEIR OWN--
WE'RE HOPING TO BE ASKED--
IF THEY WOULD REQUEST
A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
STATE BOARD MEMBER.
YOU SOUND LIKE A PERFECT--
>> I WOULD LOVE TO.
I REALLY BELIEVE DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES WILL HAVE
DIFFERENT DESIRES AROUND WHAT
THEIR GOVERNANCE LOOKS LIKE.
>> YEAH.
>> SOME MIGHT WANT A BOARD,
AND SOME MIGHT WANT
A SINGLE PERSON WHO-- YOU
KNOW, A MAYOR-- WHO THEY
CAN VOTE OUT IF THINGS
AREN'T GOING THE WAY
THEY WANT THEM TO GO.
THAT IS ONE.
SECOND IS.
I DO WANT TO KNOW.
I THINK THEY ARE
A AND B ON THIS POINT.
THIS IS NOT TO APOLOGIZE
FOR DECISIONS THAT DPS IS
MAKING THAT MAY NOT BE IN
THE BEST INTEREST OF KIDS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF DISTRICTS AROUND THE
STATE THAT HAVE JUST NOT
MANAGED THEIR MONEY WELL.
IT IS NOT AN ISSUE
OF STATE-RUN BOARD.
YOU KNOW--
IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR
$200 MILLION WORTH OF
THE DEFICIT, AND SO ON.
SOMETHING HAS TO BE
DONE AROUND THAT.
I'M PLEASED THAT THE STATE
IS NOW MOVING TOWARDS AN
EARLIER WARNING SYSTEM TO TRY
TO GET AHEAD OF THAT,
SO WE DON'T END UP IN
A SITUATION WHERE MORE
EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE NEEDED.
I ALSO THINK WE NEED
MORE MONEY FOR PUBLIC
EDUCATION, RIGHT?
WHICH WOULD HELP RESOLVE
SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
I DON'T WANT-- IN OTHER
WORDS, THERE IS ALWAYS TWO
SIDES TO THESE THINGS.
THE FLIP SIDE IS HERE
IS THAT WE HEARD FROM
A REALLY IMPASSIONED,
AND FRANKLY, VERY POWERFUL
VOICES TODAY AROUND THIS ISSUE.
ROY ROBERTS IS OBVIOUSLY
NO LONGER AROUND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY WERE THINKING.
I MEAN, AS I SAID EARLIER--
WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT
SCHOOLS ARE GOOD AND SO ON--
IT DOESN'T INTUITIVELY
MAKE SENSE TO ME.
BUT WE SHOULD HEAR FROM
KAREN RIDGEWAY, OR
WHOMEVER AT DPS, AND
WE'LL DO THAT--
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> CASANDRA, AND
THEN MICHELLE.
>> SO I KEEP HEARING
THE ARGUMENT THAT LOCAL
BOARDS AREN'T MAKING
TOUGH DECISIONS, AND
THAT IS WHY THEY--
>> WE'RE NOT SAYING--
>> I KNOW, I KNOW.
BUT OTHERS ARE.
AND THAT IS WHY THEY ARE
FINDING THEMSELVES IN
THESE SITUATIONS.
THE REASON-- THAT MAY BE
TRUE FOR A SMALL SUBSET.
BUT THE REAL REASON
THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IS
WE HAVE A FUNDING MODEL BASED
ON HEAD COUNT, AND WE HAVE
A DECLINING HEAD COUNT.
I LOOKED AT CEPI NUMBERS
IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.
MICHIGAN HAS LOST
183,000 STUDENTS.
IN THAT EXACT SAME TIME,
THEY ADDED 110 NET NEW SCHOOLS.
THERE WAS JUST AN ARTICLE
IN THE PAPER THE OTHER DAY
ABOUT BUENA VISTA, AND,
"HEY, THEY'RE SHUTTING
"DOWN, BUT WITHIN A TEN MILE
"RADIUS THERE IS
"40 CHARTER SCHOOLS."
WELL, MAYBE THAT HAS SOMETHING
TO DO WITH WHY BUENA VISTA
CAN'T OPERATE ANYMORE.
SO WE NEED TO--
THIS HEAD COUNT VERSUS,
"LET'S ADD MORE SCHOOLS."
NEXT YEAR WE ARE GOING TO HAVE,
WHAT, 34-35 NEW SCHOOLS.
EVEN THOUGH WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
A DECLINING HEAD COUNT.
I THINK OUR WHOLE
STRATEGY FOR SCHOOL.
PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THIS
STATE IS SO FLAWED, THAT
THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE
CAN CONTINUE.
WE TALK ABOUT
A GOVERNANCE MODEL.
THE REALITY IS THAT WE
HAVE ELECTED BOARDS BEING
REPLACED BY NON-ELECTED
BOARDS OPERATING SCHOOLS.
>> WE'VE CREATED
A PARALLEL SYSTEM WITH
UN-ELECTED BOARDS.
>> WE HAVE TO FIX IT.
AN OVERHAUL--
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> EXACTLY.
BUT I THINK WE NEED
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT
THAT SCHOOLS FIND
THEMSELVES IN DEFICIT.
NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE
TERRIBLE WITH NUMBERS,
AND BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ADD.
THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN
DEFICIT BECAUSE THIS YEAR
THEY HAD 400 STUDENTS, AND NEXT
YEAR, ALL OF THE SUDDEN
THEY HAVE 350 STUDENTS.
THERE GOES THE BUDGET.
THAT IS THE PROBLEM.
IT IS GOING TO CONTINUE
UNTIL WE FIGURE THIS OUT.
>> IF I MIGHT JUST
ADD TO THAT.
ONE REASON THAT--
I'VE SAID THIS AT A MEETING
I WAS INVITED TO.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MEETINGS
I'M NOT INVITED TO ANYMORE.
I'M INVITED TO A MEETING,
AND CRAIG WOULD ATTEST TO THIS.
I SAID IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNOR
THAT, "WHICH ONES ARE
"COMING INTO LANDING AS
"DEFICIT DISTRICTS, AND HOW
"DO YOU GET AHEAD OF IT?
"RESPECTFULLY, TELL ME HOW
"MANY ARE GOING TO BE GOING
"TO K-12--" THAT IS DOING A LOT
OF ADVERTISING RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE NO IDEA.
>> OFFERING LAPTOPS, OR
OFFERING iPADS.
>> SO IF WE CAN ANSWER
THAT QUESTION, WHICH WE
CAN'T-- I MEAN-- IT IS
A WHOLE OTHER VARIABLE NOW
WHICH IS EVEN BIGGER THAN
THIRTY OTHER SCHOOLS,
BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE UNIVERSE OF THAT IS.
>> CONNECTIONS ARE
STARTING TO ADVERTISE, TOO.
>> MMM-HMM.
>> THAT IS NOT TO--
I DON'T KNOW WANT TO--
WHOEVER IS ABOUT TO SAY
THAT THERE ISN'T
A POSSIBLE ROLE FOR THEM.
BUT THE PREDICTABILITY
NOW IS EVEN A HUNDRED
FOLD MORE TOUGH TO PREDICT.
THEN, DISTRICTS WHO IN
GOOD FAITH-- I MEAN,
I WAS ACTUALLY TRYING TO
GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SCHOOLS
BOARDS A FEW MINUTES AGO.
MOST OF THEM ARE FIXING THIS.
I THINK IT IS LIKE WE NEED
TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
BUT THERE ARE IN A
TREMENDOUS BURDEN RIGHT
NOW, WITH THE EXACT THING
YOU ARE DESCRIBING.
I APPRECIATE THE BOARD.
THEN, I KIND OF INDEPENDENTLY
ALSO SAID, AT THE TIME OF
THE LEGISLATION, THAT WE
NEEDED TO PHASE THIS
IN OVER TIME.
WE ARE NOT NEANDERTHALS.
THERE MIGHT BE A PLACE FOR THIS.
BUT NOT OVER NIGHT.
YOU JUST CAN'T PREDICT
THE OVERALL MODEL.
THE OVERALL STABILITY.
>> IT WAS MY TURN.
>> IT WAS MICHELLE.
AND THEN IT WAS DAN.
>> JUST COUPLE OF THINGS.
I JUST WANT TO ADD TO WHAT
CASANDRA WAS SAYING.
IT IS PRETTY MIND BOGGLING.
THERE IS ALSO THAT FACT
THAT A LOT OF THESE OTHER
SCHOOLS-- EAA SCHOOLS,
CHARTER SCHOOLS-- ARE
ALL OPENING UP, AND THEY
ARE REALLY REEKING HAVOC
ON THE PENSION FUNDS
FOR THE TEACHERS.
YOU KNOW, INCREASING
THE PAYMENTS, BUT NO
ONE IS PAYING IN.
LESS AND LESS PEOPLE ARE
PAYING IN FOR THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE RETIRED.
WHEN KATHY AND I WENT OUT
TO KALAMAZOO.
WE MET WITH
THE SUPERINTENDENT THERE.
HE WAS SAYING THAT EVEN
THOUGHT THEY HAVE ONE OF
THE FASTEST GROWING DISTRICTS.
THEY ARE STILL HAVING CUTS.
A LOT OF IT IS BECAUSE
OF THE WAY THE SYSTEM
IS SET UP.
I THINK TO TRY TO UNDERMINE
THE PENSION FOR TEACHERS.
I MEAN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHY A TEACHER CAN'T
GET A DECENT PENSION.
SO THAT IS ONE THING
I WANTED TO JUST ADD.
WITH REGARDS TO OAKMAN,
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE
IS SOME WAY WE COULD
REACH OUT TO THE NEW EM.
NOW, FROM WHAT I
UNDERSTAND THEY SOLD
THE BUILDING.
THEY SOLD THE BUILDING
EITHER RIGHT BEFORE
THEY TOLD THE PARENTS.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST
COMPLETELY, COMPLETE
DISREGARD TO THESE PARENTS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF
THERE'S SOME WAY WE
COULD WRITE A LETTER,
OR SOMEBODY COULD MEET
WITH THE NEW EM?
OR IF WE COULD SEND--
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE
IS ANYTHING THAT COULD BE
DONE TO SAVE THAT SCHOOL.
I AM TOLD THAT IT WAS
A LOCAL CHURCH THAT
BOUGHT THE SCHOOL.
I AM ALSO TOLD,
AS I UNDERSTAND IT,
THAT THERE ARE SOME RIGHTS--
AT LEAST SUPPOSEDLY--
THAT ARE WRITTEN INTO LAW,
THAT THE DPS BOARD HAS,
THAT WERE NOT FOLLOWED.
THINGS WERE SUPPOSED TO
BE RUN THROUGH THEM.
BUT YOU KNOW, SO WHAT
IF IT IS ON PAPER IF
YOU HAVE THE POWER?
THERE IS SOME QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHETHER THAT WAS
DISREGARDED OR NOT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN
BE DONE AT THIS LATE DATE.
BUT I THINK OUT OF RESPECT
TO THE PARENTS WHO CAME HERE.
IF THERE WAS SOME WAY THAT
WE COULD MAKE A MORE FORMAL,
OR A FOLLOW-UP ON THIS BY
TRYING TO TALK TO PEOPLE,
AND CONVEY THEIR MESSAGE
IN SOME WAY.
>> I SAID THAT I--
>> OH, OKAY.
AM I REPEATING A GREAT IDEA?
>> JUST THE SPECIAL ED SERVICES.
I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE
FOR THE BOARD, AND I WOULD
BE HAPPY TO DO IT ON THE BOARD'S
BEHALF, TO AT LEAST
REACH OUT TO MARTIN.
TO COMMUNICATE WHAT WE HEARD,
AND TO ENCOURAGE HIM,
AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE PAYING
FULL ATTENTION TO ISSUES AND
CONCERNS THAT ARE BEING RAISED,
WHICH WE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM.
AND B, IT IS ALWAYS LICENSED
FOR AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER
TO FACILITATE ATTENTION TO
AN ISSUE FROM SOMEONE LIKE
MARTIN, AS WELL--
ARE YOU REALLY ON TOP OF THIS,
I CARE ABOUT IT-- SO WE COULD
DO BOTH THINGS, I THINK.
>> WOULD IT BE WORTH IT TO
TRY TO REACH OUT TO THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ON IT?
OR IS THAT JUST COMPLETELY
OUT OF THE--
>> CRAIG WAS HERE FOR
A LOT OF THAT.
>> HE WASN'T-- HE LEFT.
>> YEAH.
HE LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
>> YEAH.
HE LEFT AFTER THE FIRST
SPEAKER, I THINK.
>> YEAH.
I THINK WE JUST
HAVE TO ASK THEM--
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> WOULD WE BE
ASKING IF THERE IS SOME
WAY TO SAVE THE SCHOOL, OR
IS THAT JUST LONG GONE?
>> I THINK THAT THE
APPROPRIATE THING IS WE HEARD
A LOT OF INFORMATION, AND
HEARTFELT CONCERN AND TESTIMONY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
YOU ARE-- AS PERSON IN CHARGE--
PAYING FULL ATTENTION TO ISSUES
AND CONCERNS THAT ARE BEING
RAISED AS WARRANTED.
JUST A LITTLE REMIND TO
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU
ARE LISTENING HARD,
AND APPRECIATE WHAT THESE
FOLKS ARE SAYING, AND
TAKING IT SERIOUSLY.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE CAN
DO APPROPRIATELY.
DO OTHERS AGREE?
>> I SO MOVE.
>> I AGREE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> MOVED BY LUPE.
SUPPORTED BY DAN.
FURTHER DISCUSSION?
>> WELL, THEY'RE GOING
TO SAY IT IS BEING HANDLED
BY THE EMERGENCY MANAGER,
AND HE IS ON TOP OF IT.
>> MARTIN.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> WE HAVE A MOTION.
>> I'M SORRY, WHAT IS
THE MOTION?
>> DO YOU GUYS WANT ME TO
TAKE CONTROL HERE-- I'M
TRYING TO--
[ LAUGHTER ]
WE HAVE A MOTION, WHICH
WOULD BE--
>> WRITE A LETTER AND
COPY THE GOVERNOR--
>> IF APPROPRIATE, I WOULD
BE HAPPY TO CO-SIGN THAT.
IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
>> WILL YOU CC MR. RUFF, TOO,
PLEASE?
>> YEAH.
>> AND SUPPORTED BY DAN.
>> THE GOVERNOR,
AS WELL, YOU SAY?
>> YES.
>> CRAIG RUFF.
>> FURTHER DISCUSSION?
>> NO.
I THINK THAT'S FINE.
IS THIS THE MOTION.
>> ALL EMERGENCY
MANAGERS, TOO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> NO, MY MOTION DOESN'T
INCLUDE EMERGENCY MANAGERS.
>> IF I MAY PARTICIPATE
IN DISCUSSION, EVEN THOUGH
I CAN'T VOTE IS-- I THINK
THE VALUE OF DOING THAT
IS THEY DID TAKE THE
TIME TO BE HERE.
>> YEAH.
>> IT DISTINGUISHES IT
FROM THE HUNDREDS OF OTHER
SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED
THIS YEAR, BY THE WAY.
SO IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL,
WE'D HAVE TO TRY TO
ANALYZE EVERY ONE OF THEM.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
THE OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN
CLOSING COULD FALL INTO
THE DISCUSSION THAT WE
INITIALLY HAD TO DAN'S
POINT ABOUT POLICY AND
REQUIREMENTS ON EVERYTHING
FROM HEARINGS TO QUALITY,
AND THEN FEEL MORE
COMFORTABLE, SHORT OF AN
ANALYSIS OF THE 200 THAT
WERE CLOSED THIS YEAR, OR
THE 58 OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
IT WOULD BE IN THE SPIRIT
OF WHAT DAN SAID.
SO ANY FURTHER
DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION?
YES, MA'AM.
>> I'M NOT SURE IF YOU
WANT TO INCLUDE THIS
IN THE LETTER, BUT YOU
MIGHT ALSO WANT TO MAKE
IT A POINT TO LET THEM KNOW
THAT THE EXPECTATION IS
THAT THESE SCHOOLS THEY
ARE SENDING THESE KIDS TO
ARE APPROPRIATE, AND
ADEQUATELY FIT FOR
THESE KIDS.
>> IT IS NOT ONLY THE PHYSICAL--
>> I KNOW.
ABSOLUTELY.
>> THAT'S DAN'S POINT
ABOUT THE "D" AND THE "F."
>> IT'S THE WHOLE SIZE
OF THE SCHOOL, AND THE FACT
THAT THE SCHOOL HAS
ALL THESE DIFFICULT KIDS
APPARENTLY, AND GANGS.
THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO BE--
>> EXACTLY.
>> INTIMIDATED.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> WE CAN INCLUDE THAT ISSUE,
AMONG MANY OTHER ISSUES
THAT WERE BROUGHT
TO OUR ATTENTION.
THESE FOLKS WERE LOOKING
FOR HELP FROM THEIR
DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES, WHO ARE US.
IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR US
TO MAKE SURE THOSE WHO ARE
MAKING DECISIONS ON
THEIR BEHALF ARE PAYING
ATTENTION TO THESE ISSUES.
>> YOU CAN ALSO CC THE PA,
OR THE LEAGUE OF
PARENTS, OR THE GROUP
SO THAT THEY KNOW--
>> SURE.
>> THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GROUP--
>> OR WE COULD EVEN COPY
EVERY PERSON WE HAVE HERE--
>> MARIANNE WILL
GET THE WORD OUT.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION
ON THE MOTION?
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON
THE MOTION?
>> CALL THE QUESTION.
>> ALL IN FAVOR, AYE?
>> AYE.
>> OPPOSED, SAME.
>> YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED
TO MENTION THAT THAT
SCHOOL-- THE OAKMAN
SCHOOL BUILDING ITSELF
IS A HANDSOME BUILDING.
>> IT IS BEAUTIFUL.
>> I HAVE BEEN TO A LOT
OF SCHOOLS IN DETROIT.
IT IS THE BEST LOOKING
SCHOOL IN THE CITY.
>> WE'RE GOING TO TRY KATHLEEN.
>> MY CLOSING POINT.
I AGREE WITH MY
COLLEAGUE CASANDRA.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE
THE POINT THAT I HOPE
THAT IS RE-ENERGIZED,
AS OUR EFFORTS TO TRY TO
MOVE THE FINANCE
CONVERSATION FORWARD.
LET'S TRY TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO MAKE
THE SYSTEM WORK.
THE SOLUTION IS, YOU CAN'T
PUT GENIES BACK
INTO A BOTTLE.
LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW
TO MAKE THIS SYSTEM WORK.
LET'S PUT FORMULAS IN PLACE.
WHATEVER WE GOT TO DO TO
MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR KIDS.
LET'S MAKE IT WORK FOR KIDS.
>> I'D LIKE YOU TO
CONSIDER A SALES
TAX ON SERVICES.
[ LAUGHTER ]
THAT WOULD TAKE
CARE OF ALL THINGS.
>> INCOME TAX.
>> WELL.
>> AT A PROGRESSIVE RATE.
>> THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.
WHICH ONE OF THE TWO
WOULD WE HAVE A GREATER
CHANCE AT, MAYBE?
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK
MS. MARILYN FOR THE CARDS
THAT SHE PROVIDED FOR US,
AND EVERYTHING SHE DOES
ON BEHALF--
AND ALSO ALL THE STAFF.
I LOVE WORKING WITH YOU.
>> WELL, THANK YOU,
WE APPRECIATE YOU, ALSO.
MARILYN DOES HAVE YOUR
BEST INTEREST IN MIND.
SHE IS ALWAYS KIND
OF WATCHING HER
STUFF LIKE THAT.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> WE NEED A MOTION--
>> I MOVE TO ADJOURN.
>> NO, WE NEED A MOTION--
>> QUIT TALKING, LUPE!
>> WE NEED A MOTION TO CHANGE
THE DECEMBER MEETING FIRST,
AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW--
>> KATHLEEN HAS SOMETHING
SHE'D LIKE TO SAY.
>> I HAVE A REAL-- I HAVE
A QUESTION ON THE EAA, AND
THAT IS I UNDERSTOOD THAT
THE EAA WAS TO HANDLE THE LOW
PERFORMING SCHOOLS-- TAKE
THE SCHOOLS WITH THE KIDS--
THEY'RE IN THE SCHOOL.
THIS EAA IN DETROIT IS
RECRUITING ADDITIONAL STUDENTS
TO COME IN, AND--
WHY DO THEY DO THAT?
THEY ALREADY HAVE THE STUDENTS
THAT ARE IN THE SCHOOLS AND
WOULD GO TO THAT SCHOOL.
WHY DO THEY HAVE TO RECRUIT
OTHER STUDENTS?
AND WHAT GIVES THEM
THE AUTHORITY TO RECRUIT
OTHER STUDENTS?
>> IT'S ALL PART OF
MAKING THE SYSTEM WORK.
>> THEY CAN DO WHATEVER
THEY WANT.
>> EVERY SCHOOL IN DETROIT IS
UNDER-ENROLLED.
I'M PROBABLY EXAGGERATING
A LITTLE BIT, BUT THERE ARE
PROBABLY ONLY-- YOU CAN COUNT
THEM ON ONE HAND-- THAT ARE
ACTUALLY FULL.
>> COUNT ON ONE HAND WHAT?
>> THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT
ARE ACTUALLY FINANCIALLY
HEALTHY BECAUSE THEY ARE
AT OR NEAR FULL ENROLLMENT.
>> OH.
>> NOBODY DOES, RIGHT?
I MEAN, WHEN YOU START
A REFORM DISTRICT-- WHEN YOU
START A REFORM DISTRICT AND
YOU DON'T FUND IT, YOU ASK FOR
PHILANTHROPY TO FUND IT--
I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT I-- IT'S-- WE HAVE
ALL SORTS OF GOOD IDEAS
IN THE STATE, AND WE
IMPLEMENT THEM POORLY
ALL TOO FREQUENTLY.
THAT'S JUST MY--
>> I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD
BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
>> BUT I-- WE OFTEN LEAVE
FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THERE'S
A LOT OF THINGS WE DON'T THINK
THEY SHOULD-- I WOULD AGREE
WITH THAT ONE, BY THE WAY--
BUT IT IS PERMISSIBLE.
THEY ARE ALLOWED.
IT IS--
>> THEY ARE-- THEY HAVE
THE AUTHORITY TO RECRUIT
STUDENTS FROM--?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> YEP.
>> WELL, I MEAN, PLAYING
DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, WOULDN'T WE
WANT-- TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND
YOU RECRUIT A DIVERSE ARRAY OF
STUDENTS, MAYBE INCLUDING SOME
FROM BETTER SOCIO-ECONOMICS.
>> OH YEAH.
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
>> WELL, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT--
>> THAT COULD BE PART OF HOW
YOU TURN AN INEFFECTIVE SCHOOL
INTO AN EFFECTIVE SCHOOL,
TO CREATE A MORE DIVERSE
OR ATTRACT A MORE DIVERSE
POPULATION.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT MY--
THE RATIONALE FOR YPSI
CREATING NEW TECH HIGH AND
AN IB PROGRAM WHERE DAN'S KID
IS GOING-- IT'S TO CREATE
A MORE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL THAT
ATTRACTS AND KEEPS MORE PEOPLE.
>> I THINK TO CASANDRA'S
EARLIER POINT, I--
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
TO CASANDRA'S EARLIER POINT,
I HOPE PART OF OUR DISCUSSION
WHEN WE DO THIS TOGETHER-- AND
I LOOK FORWARD TO IT-- IS ALSO
CREATING SOME CONCRETE IDEAS
ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR STUDENTS
AND ATTRACT THEM, BECAUSE SOME
OF THIS IS-- I JUST HAVE TO
SAY IT-- SOME OF IT IS--
BECAUSE I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO
HAVE A BOARD THAT WAS OPEN TO
DIFFERENT WAYS OF THINKING, AS
A LOCAL BOARD.
THERE ARE SOME THAT JUST--
APPROPRIATELY, BUT-- DECRY
THE MOVEMENT OF KIDS AND DON'T
TRY TO PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE
THAT COULD MINIMIZE THAT LEAP.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF I'M A LOCAL
SUP AGAIN AND I'M WORRIED
ABOUT K-12, WITH THEIR
FANCY DANCY ADVERTISING
RIGHT NOW, I'D BE MAKING SURE
I HAD A BLENDED LEARNING MODEL
IN MY OWN SCHOOL DISTRICT.
>> I GUESS THE QUESTION IS
HOW DO YOU DO THAT WHEN
YOU HAVE TO KEEP CUTTING
YOUR BUDGET EVERY--
>> NO, I'M NOT-- I'M JUST--
I'M NOT SAYING-- BUT
I'M SAYING IF WE DON'T ADDRESS
THAT-- YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
DISTRICTS--
[ OVERLAPPING CHATTER ]
OF THE TWO DISTRICTS THAT WERE
DISSOLVED, ONE HAS
14,000 A KID, AND ONE HAS
10,000 A KID, SO I'M NOT--
WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
HOW WE'RE ANALYZING THAT AND
HOW THE MONEY'S BEEN SPENT,
RIGHT?
I'M JUST SAYING THIS IS
ALL PART OF -- IF WE REALLY
WANT TO BE CONSIDERED
THOUGHTFUL ON WHAT WE GIVE,
WE'VE GOT TO SHOW
THE FULL ARRAY.
BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN--
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON--
I DON'T UNDERSTAND FULLY
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN-- WHY
THE TWO THAT WERE DISSOLVED,
ONE'S 14,000 A KID AND
ONE'S 10,000.
I COULD MAKE THE CASE FROM
MY OWN HISTORY THAT A LOT OF
THE KIDS THAT HAVE THE TOUGHEST
THINGS TO OVERCOME, WE
PROBABLY SHOULD BE SPENDING
$25,000 ON EACH ONE OF THEM.
SO IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT
THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
I'M JUST-- WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT
SOME OF THE SEGMENTED PARTS OF
THAT THAT MAKE IT SO DIFFERENT
FOR SOME DISTRICTS.
NOW, SOME OF IT IS THOSE THAT
TOOK LONGER-- WHETHER YOU'RE
THERE OR NOT-- TOOK LONGER TO
MOVE TO CO-PAY ON INSURANCE.
IN INKSTER'S CASE, IT WASN'T
UNTIL THE LAST FEW MONTHS
TO HAVE ANY CO-PAY AT ALL.
AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY
YOU SHOULD BE IN FAVOR OF IT
OR NOT.
IT'S JUST THAT THOSE THAT DID
GO TO CO-PAY, YOU HEAR A LOT
OF DISTRICTS THAT RESENT--
I'M JUST TELLING THE TRUTH
HERE, BECAUSE I GO AROUND IT--
THAT RESENT THAT THEY'VE MADE
TOUGH DECISIONS, FROM THEIR
POINT OF VIEW, TO NOT BE
IN THAT SPOT, AND
OTHER DISTRICTS DIDN'T.
>> WILL YOU ALSO LOOK AT
THE EXORBITANT PAY OF SOME OF
THESE-- YOU KNOW, YOU TALK
ABOUT THE TEACHERS NOT DOING
THIS, BUT I LOOK AT THE MONEY--