DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS - TRANSITION TEAM

Address:
Detroit Public Schools Transition Team
3031 W. Grand Blvd.
Conference Room B
Detroit, MI 48202

Phone:
(313) 870-3622
Fax:
(313) 870-3669
Email:
transition.team@detroitk12.org

On behalf of the members of the Transition Team and in response to the invitation and appointment by our esteemed Governor Jennifer Granholm, I (Rev. Wendell Anthony) want to share with you a brief overview of the purpose and pending work of this very important assembly.

First, there has been a lot of speculation, misinformation and miscalculation of the work of this body. The first meeting of this Transition Team was held today for the purpose of introducing ourselves to each other. Many in the media have attempted to assign duties and responsibilities for a body that has only met on one occasion that being today. While we welcome the positive and constructive input from the media and all persons, our work will not be media driven or special interests directed. We are committed to working for the best interest of Detroit parents and students.

We do not intend to replace the current board by our work. The current Reform Board is legally empowered to carry on the day-to-day functions of the Detroit Board of Education. Nor are we an assembly to determine the present fiscal realignment necessary of the current budget crisis, pending personnel layoffs and possible school closings of the Detroit Public Schools.

That particular responsibility lies within the duties and responsibilities of Dr. Kenneth Burnley, the current Reform Board and the State of Michigan. In articulating this view, it does not mean that we do not have an opinion, to be determined after careful analysis. So we send out a clarion call to please do not confuse the Transition Team with the current Reform Board of Education. They are different and each has its own specific priorities. Priorities of this Transition Team are simply to help create a clear agenda for the new elected and empowered school board as it takes its seat and does its work beginning January 1, 2006.

The people of Detroit have spoken loudly and clearly by a vote of 65-35% margin as to their desires for the future governance of the Detroit Public Schools. To that end, we have assembled a multi-cultural and multi-faceted team of people both professionals and grass roots, including educators, parents, business, corporate and labor members, legal and religious leaders to join together to work for the future of the Detroit Public Schools.

We also will help to devise a suggested list of criteria that persons inside the community might utilize when they make their selections for new board members for the Detroit Public Schools.

The Transition Team will look at the current state of the Detroit Public Schools with the view towards making recommendations and suggestions that may be adopted for the benefit of a more efficient Detroit Public Schools.

Finally, we will look at ways in which the current declining enrollment of students in Detroit may be negated with new efforts and new approaches built on the foundation of what currently works in the Detroit Public School system. It is not our position that everything in the system is bad or broken. It is our position that what is broken needs to be fixed and what is bad needs to be changed.

This is an exciting opportunity and we look forward to our work together.