DPSCD REGULAR BOARD MEETING
Detroit Public Schools Community District
Education
Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024
5:30 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. EDT
5020 Cadieux Detroit, MI 48224 (Directions)
View the meeting online: https://www.detroitk12.org/boardmeeting
Agendas and more can be found at DPSCD BoardDocs: https://www.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Board.nsf/Public
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Live reporting by
Colleen Cirocco
District High School Redesign Plan approved; tutoring contract with Paper removed from consideration. Public commenters give the superintendent and all but one board member failing grades.
Tonight's meeting will be held in person and virtually. For information on how to attend the meeting, and participate in public comment, visit their website: detroitk12.org/boardmeeting
detroitk12.org/boardmeeting
Curious about future board meeting dates or other DPSCD dates such as the first day of school? Check out their online calendar. detroitk12.org/Page/2#calenda…
detroitk12.org/Page/2#calenda…
It's now 5:30pm and I am in the YouTube livestream of the DPSCD regular board meeting - looks like just one board member and the superintendent Dr. Vitti are here so far.
Getting into the meeting, looks like there are three board members present. Right now board president Angelique Peterson-Mayberry mentions five deceased members of the DPSCD family for the moment of silence.
We're now listening to recordings of the Star Spangled Banner and Lift Every Voice and Sing. Peterson-Mayberry says at the next meeting there will be students live to perform these pieces.
➡️6. Chair remarks Skipping all the way to the end of the agenda - I missed if they said they had to move to non-voting items due to a lack of quorum. Right now there are five board members present.
- School begins on August 26 - check the board website and individual school sites for more information. - Congratulations to students coming back from Ghana. - 3 board seats are open, 22 candidates in the race for Nov 5 election. detroitk12.org
detroitk12.org
➡️7. Finance Report- Jeremy Vidito, Chief Financial Officer go.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Boa…
go.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Boa…
⬅️3. Approval of agenda (we now have a quorum) Motion carries to tie-bar and approve the following items.
➡️ 8. Superintendent's Report We are all set to open up schools in 2 weeks. There is an incentive for teachers to refer other teachers. 3,000 new students to the district. Back to school events happening at all schools.
Vitti now goes through data collected in student surveys - are they "Loved, Challenged, and Prepared?" I don't see the info he has in BoardDocs (where the agenda comes from), but trying to find it. go.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Boa…
go.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Boa…
In general there have been improvements in students feeling loved, challenged, and prepared since last year. Here are the top and most improved schools according to these surveys.
Areas of improvement from student survey: school safety, need to learn from students why they don't feel safe.
Staff survey was also completed. Strongly improving in each category but overall a negative sentiment from the staff. Lots of opportunity for improvement.
Sherry Gay-Dagnogo wants to know what part of the survey addresses how students feel about facilities. Students from Henry Ford told her that the showers don't have adequate hot water. Vitti says the student survey is more about the student experience and relationships.
He continues to say there are questions about facilities but it is not a focus. Peterson-Mayberry said that parents and students are wowed by East English Village Preparatory Academy, this should be the standard.
She asks Vitti if the student safety questions are more about perceptions or specific incidents that have happened to them. Vitti says both, she asks if we are doing town halls or finding out why they feel unsafe. Small groups, assemblies by grade level are opportunities.
They are looking to increase the number of adults in hallways, in cafeterias. Some parents think a permanent police officer in each school would be useful. They have to look at the budget, but the issue won't be solved by 1 police officer, it goes deeper than that.
"Climate and culture" will be a huge emphasis next year, making students feel more safe. Peterson-Mayberry remarks that when students feel safe and are in good facilities they are likely to do better in school.
🚨 Public comment 1. The first commenter has 5 minutes instead of the standard 3 because she is representing a group from Thirkell Elementary-Middle School. Loves her job teaching 4th grade, is highly rated. Organized to get their principal replaced last year.
1. cont - final evaluation and debrief was incomplete because former principal was suspended. Received a "minimally effective" ranking. Believes this is retaliation. Appeals team is same who gave her the ranking.
2. This commenter has a 5 minute time limit due to an ADA accommodation. They are building a brand new school without showers - middle school students need them to stay hygienic after gym class. This school also needs to be protected from traffic on Jefferson.
2. cont. Is asking for showers for the school, for it to named Remus Robinson after the first black school board member from Detroit, and to keep it where it is, a developer wants to turn that area into apartments, not affordable to the neighborhood. michiganpublic.org/health/2021-02…
michiganpublic.org/health/2021-02…
3. Impressed by the district, went to an event recently and how smooth the process was and how much the educators cared about the kids at Davison Elementary.
4. Wants to thank the school board for the raises. Showers need to be available. Kids with good hygiene protect teachers from getting sick. Will be pressing City Council regarding tax abatements. We should have the same track equipment as other schools, it is systemic racism.
5. Library had 85% voter support in its recent millage vote. Community organizations worked throughout the city to make people understand that without a millage you don't have a library system. People were against it because of tax captures, but you can't vote against a millage,
5. cont. - it makes it even worse. We need to work with legislatures on protecting education system from tax captures.
6. from College for Creative Studies - free programs, is a vendor for DPSCD, available to teach art. Saturday programs for middle school students at Old Redford Library 10-1, 1:30-3:30 at Detroit Community. Opens the door to improve portfolio, employment, scholarships.
7. Concurs about showers in schools. Asks everyone to google "Detroit red lights." There is a huge drag racing and red light running problem, we are going to Lansing 9/18. "You're going to stand up, or you're going to get ran over." detroitredlights.com
detroitredlights.com
8. Has questions about the contract with the Paper tutoring company. Does not think we should renew the contract tonight, or use literacy lawsuit money for them, they have a bad reputation. paper.co
paper.co
9. Has an autistic son in DPSCD. Board has a moral obligation to protect them. Son was sexually assaulted, she was treated terribly, DPS chose to protect athletes who violated him instead of her son.
Moving on to the online public commenters, while the previous commenter is still addressing the board after the mic has been turned off. Vitti said that they are aware of this incident - can address after public comment.
10. This commenter is reading survey information about Dr. Vitti - he received a failing grade for 2023-2024 school year. They said he is comfortable lying to the press. He reads out comments from the survey - he protected an abuser, invalidates concerns, complacent.
11. Sharing collective data about board member Bishop Vaughn - a failing grade for last year. Comments describe her as a rubber stamp for the superintendent's agenda, not engaged, on her phone too much, didn't make eye contact, doesn't stand up for students and teachers.
12. Collective data on board member Misha Stallworth "give the schoolboard a great initiative' - awarded an F grade. Largely absent, missing in action. She isn't running for reelection, wonders what she thinks her legacy will be.
13. What happened to the budget for a school that closed? Is wondering on the status of cohort schools. Don't double book programs in the summer. Don't vote for virtual tutor contract.
14. Collective data "Give a board a grade" initiative - Sonya Mays, received an F grade for her conduct on the board for 2023-2024 school year. Doesn't appear engaged in meetings, rarely speaks in board meetings, out of touch with community, approved Vitti's contract too soon.
- there seems to be a coordinated effort out there but I haven't been able to find anything about this 'give the school board a grade' group online anywhere -
15. A 'give the school board a grade' review of Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, she got a passing grade. Frequently the only member of the board who asks questions, one of the only who didn't vote to extend Vitti's contract. She seems to care about teachers. We are expecting a lot more.
16. "Give the board a grade" for board member LaTrice McClendon - failing grade for 2023-2024 school year. Lack of participation, hasn't spoken up for her constituents. Too quiet, a yes person, on her phone. This initiative wants her to take her position seriously.
Responses to public comment from Dr. Vitti and the board: - Vitti answered the commenter from Thirkell who wanted to appeal her rating, paraphrasing - you may not like my answer, but that doesn't make me a liar.
- Henry Ford showers do work, but the water was shut off because there wasn't an adult to supervise. - New K-8 school buildings will not have showers, new high school buildings will have showers. - Paper tutoring would be direct tutoring, not a chatbox
They were very concerned with the claims of the mother of the autistic student who experienced sexual assault - it went through their code of conduct procedure, legal council, she was not satisfied with the result.
To learn about getting involved with Let's Read visit this site - compensation may now be available to volunteers detroitk12.org/letsread
detroitk12.org/letsread
President Peterson-Mayberry reminds everyone that young people are watching these meetings and it's important to be mindful of how we are talking to each other. There is a lot of work that happens outside of these board meetings, in response to the organizers tonight.
Gay-Dagnogo suggests having a staff liaison for the board to help follow up on issues.
➡️11. Personnel Actions Motions carry 11.01 Administrative Terminations 11.02 Terminations for Cause
➡️12 Administrative Action Items 12.01 Approval of District High School Redesign Plan go.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Boa…
go.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Boa…
This has been approved in committees - academic and finance. Gay-Dagnogo is supportive at a high level, but still has questions. First concern is going back to a lower credit standard, second is proving that stakeholder feedback has been duly gathered.
The biggest gap in the feedback they have requested about this proposal is from students, but they are filling in those gaps with the Loved, Challenged, and Prepared survey data.
Gay-Dagnogo is willing to figure this out, but the 18 vs 22 credit decision is more complicated. Stakeholders - security, arts, PE, athletics, office of school nutrition. Have we heard from everyone? They won't come at it from a teaching pedagogy per-se but are important
Gay-Dagnogo, can we clarify what are the options for course recovery? Peterson-Mayberry - sometimes life happens to these students that requires them to step away or not participate fully.
Vitti: course recovery options: Take the class (could be after school, Saturdays), or use technology to define mastery (Ingenuity). If we decide on a 22 credit system, what is the additional class to add? Michigan Merit requirement is 18 credits for a diploma.
Next year's 9th graders would be the first to go through this proposed process. Gay-Dagnogo suggests that we have more time to talk, why is it on the agenda now? What do you need from us (the board)? Vitti - we decided that high-school redesign was central to reform.
Peterson-Mayberry suggests withdrawing this motion and bringing it to a retreat. There's no need for the board to take action right now. Dr. Taylor reinforces that she approves the idea of the plan, which they can vote on.
Stallworth says more attention needs to be paid to the arts pathways, it needs a longer runway. Vitti - agrees - not every school will be able to off the arts diploma.
Motion is still on the floor, with an amendment to accept the framework of the high school plan. Motion carries.
➡️12.02 Approval of Contract for ELL Tutoring Services Proposal to hire Paper and Braintrust for tutoring services through literacy lawsuit funding. Agreement only pays for services performed, tutoring is direct engagement, not a chatbox. go.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Boa…
go.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Boa…
Gay-Dagnogo asks if we have explored partnerships with college students, City Corps, etc. The best support is in person, especially English Language Learners.
Vitti: this is a multi-pronged strategy, we are using literacy lawsuit money to get more teachers certified in ELL. This won't affect the existing budgets for other literacy projects like Let's Read.
McClendon asks Vitti about the risk of this vendor because they have bad reviews. Vitti can't definitively commit that they will see improvement because they haven't worked there before. It is a calculated risk to assist a specific population of ELL.
Vitti: If we are seeing challenges with Paper, we shift to Brain Trust, if we see challenges with both we stop using them. Paper has been transparent to say they scaled too quickly during the pandemic.
Sidenote - I think the organizers have been very effective in calling out the trend of disengagement of the board, this is the first DPSCD board meeting I've covered where every member of the board has spoken up.
Mays is asking generally about the vetting process for vendors and how we measure their performance, how do we establish benchmarks?
Motion to approve item 12.02 Gay-Dagnogo suggests removing this from the agenda since there is so much discussion. Peterson-Mayberry suggests tabling. Mays is comfortable with Braintrust, doesn't want this tool to be unavailable while they decide.
Gay-Dagnogo proposes a motion to remove Paper from the resolution, and to only include Braintrust as the vendor. Motion carries with Braintrust only.
13. Consent Agenda (Administrative Items) All are approved, they have gone through committees.
➡️Announcements Police oversight committee resumes accepted by 8/23,send to vanya.moore@detroitk12.org Vacancy on the library commission, a 4 year commitment, send resumes to vanya.moore@detroitk12.org
If you find anything inaccurate in my tweets, please email documenters@outliermedia.org with the subject “Correction Request.”
Meeting adjourned at 8:44PM. This concludes the DPSCD Regular Board Meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for 9/10/24. For more meeting coverage, check out . documenters.org
documenters.org
Attachments
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Agency Information
Detroit Public Schools Community District
Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) is Michigan’s largest public education system. It is governed by a locally-elected, seven-member board. The District’s mission is to provide every student with a beneficial and rightful educational experience, preparing students to be career and college ready, and qualified to compete in the global market. The District has 106 schools and educates 50,000 children.
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