Coalition Introduces Plan for Detroit Schools

DETROIT - Spend $200-million, eliminate the Detroit public school board and put the mayor in charge. That's the proposal under consideration for the future of Detroit schools.

15 different organizations are involved, including DPS, charter schools, as well as private schools. The focus of all of this is accountability. If schools don't perform, they risk being shut down.

As Detroit Public School students tinker with their robots for an upcoming competition, school leaders are working on reconstructing a whole new way to educate Detroit's children.

"We need to create centers of excellence for every child at every school in every neighborhood every day," said DPS Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb.

"Instead of the old, tired call for more reform... to make failing schools better. This plan calls for a replacement strategy," said Doug Ross with University Preparatory Academy.

The coalition is called Excellent Schools Detroit. The program would establish an independent watch dog commission to set city-wide standards for all Detroit schools. That includes not just DPS, but also charter and private schools. School that don't perform would be pressured to shut their doors.

"We can single out and force closure of poor performing schools. The city-wide group will also highlight and help duplicate the best programs and schools to create strong, educational options throughout the city of Detroit," Bobb said.

"For too long, much of the focus in Detroit has been on adults on issues like who has power, who doesn't, who gets to hand out jobs and contracts, who doesn't. Enough of that. It's time for children's interests to take center stage," said Carol Goss, president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation.

The goals are big. By 2020, the coalition wants to achieve a 90-percent high school graduation rate, have 90-percent of the students enroll in college or post-secondary training and open 70 new schools.

However, the plan is not without controversy. A major sticking point could be making Detroit's mayor accountable and doing away with the school board, a proposal that's not sitting well with current board members.

"What have we done so egregious as the Detroit Board of Education to be taken over? I would rather us sit down together and work together with the organizations, work together with the mayor," said Detroit School Board Member Tyrone Winfrey. "The voters in the city of Detroit elected us to this office, and I take this very serious from what I do."

The plan is very lengthy. You can review it by visiting www.excellentschoolsdetroit.org.

Coalition members say they need to act fast. They hope to implement this program by the end of the year, but you can expect the school board to put up a fight.