History of IDEA
Jeannie Oakes, Founder and Former Director
Youth Voice in School Finance
NEW REPORT: Los Angeles' road to A-G for all
Without Dollars and Sense Powerpoint
Past Educational Opportunity Reports
For Detroit schools, mixed picture on reforms
- 03-14-2011
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By Michael Winerip/New York Times
In 2009, Detroit public schools had the lowest scores ever recorded in the 21-year history of the national math proficiency test. The district had a budget deficit of $200 million. About 8,000 students were leaving Detroit schools each year. Political leaders had to do something, so they rounded up the usual whipping boys: Wasteful bureaucrats. In 2009, the governor appointed an emergency financial manager, Robert Bobb, a former president of the Washington school board, to run the Detroit district. Mr. Bobb is known nationally for his work in school finance, and recruiting him took a big salary, $425,000 a year. He has spent millions more on financial consultants to clean up the fiscal mess left by previous superintendents. Greedy unions. Though Detroit teachers make considerably less than nearby suburban teachers (a $73,700 maximum versus $97,700 in Troy), Mr. Bobb pressed for concessions. (more...)
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