Local citizens were
given the opportunity to speak out regarding legislation dealing with the
reform of Detroit Public Schools pending before the Senate Government
Operations Committee. With several speaking, the underlying emphasis was to
keep local control and a need for fast action.
Treasurer Nick Khouri
told the committee that despite DPS cutting expenditures in half over the past
ten years and closing over 150 schools, the district is still struggling to
keep up with fewer student enrollments and therefore fewer revenues collected
for operations. DPS is spending relatively the same amounts in both debt
obligations and teacher and faculty salaries and benefits every month. Meaning,
money intended for educational purposes is going towards debt. By eliminating
the debt about $1,100 would be received per pupil instead, according to Mr.
Khouri.
Opposing the bills (SB
710 and SB
711) were David Hecker with the American Federation of Teachers-Michigan
and Ivy Bailey with the Detroit Federation of Teachers. Both Hecker and Bailey
focused on why local control is critical to the success of the district, a
point both Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint) and Senate Minority
Floor Leader Morris Hood III (D-Detroit) agreed with.
The State Board of
Education asked the Legislature for the Department of Education to receive the authority
of overseeing siting of all schools in the state. The request was adopted on a
party-line vote of 5-2 with board member Lupe Ramos-Montigny (D-Grand Rapids)
abstaining. An original DPS resolution had called for inclusion of the Detroit
Education commission in SB 710, which drew much opposition from board members
who continued to emphasize local control.