THIS IS THE FIRST OF 3 PARTS LOOKING AT THE RISE AND FALL OF
THE MICHIGAN EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT AUTHORITY AND THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF THE
PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTED BY ELECTED BOARDS AND THE RIGHT TO DIRECT
THEIR DESTINY AND INFLUENCE THEIR COMMUNITY.
PART I
We all know about that dreaded 7-Year inch. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, defines the seven-year itch”as
a psychological term that suggests that
happiness in a relationship declines after around year seven of a marriage”.
The phrase was first used to describe an inclination to
become unfaithful after seven years of marriage in the playThe Seven Year Itchby George Axelrod, and gained popularity
following the
1955 film adaptation starringMarilyn Monroe andTom Ewell.
The phrase has since expanded to indicate cycles of
dissatisfaction not only in interpersonal relationships, but also in any
situation such as working a full-time job or buying a house, where a decrease
in happiness and satisfaction is often seen over long periods of time.
Beginning
2009, former GovernorJennifer
Granholm appointed Robert Bobb to oversee the financial `issues of Detroit
Public School until she left office the end of 2010. Current Governor Rick
Snyder then appointed Roy Roberts in 2011 and Roy remained in that position
until 2015.
It was during Roy Roberts tenure as financial manager that
Snyder announced the formation of the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) to
restore the former glory of Detroit Public Schools.
By March 2012, Governor Snyder holds a high profile
conference, introducing John Covington (most recently of Kansas Public School
disaster) as chancellor and Roy Roberts as the EAA chair.
In June 2012, Roy Roberts (also the emergency manager
appointed by Snyder) is touting the need for “accountability” as the last of
Covington’s “Pancakes and Politics” conferences comes to a close.
This accountability will become Robert’s mantra as he seeks
to restore financial control and accountability. Something Roberts has been working on during the previous year
before joining the EAA.
The keys to Detroit Public Schools, at least 15 schools, are
handed over to John Covington who is only answerable to an 11-member board
appointed by Snyder to oversee the turnaround of 98 Michigan schools deemed to
be failing, a total of 38 that are in Detroit.
Three years after John Covington took the helm and four
years since Roy Roberts assumed financial control of DPS, the district was
By June 2014, Johns Covington resigns as EAA chancellor and
Governor Snyder is quoted as saying:
"Dr. Covington embraced the tremendous challenge of
building such a school district. His student-centered approach, with
individualized learning plans, longer school days and longer school years
allowed children to make great strides. With passion, he built a solid
foundation for the work of the EAA to continue and thrive, helping thousands of
our young people now and into the future."
John Covington was paid a $175,000 signing bonus and a
$225,000 salary his first year as leader of the new Education Achievement
Authority.
His base salary grew to $325,000 in the second year. And if
he meets yet-to-be-determined goals, he could make more than $425,000 in each
of the last two years of the contract.
The better students within the system perform, the more money he makes. All told, he had the opportunity to earn up to $1.5 million over four years.
All this just to oversee HALF
the public school in Detroit.
Meanwhile, the remaining
schools of Detroit Public Schools are under the direction of another of
Governor Snyder’s appointees.
Darnell Earley, who was appointed March 2014 as the
Emergency Manager for the other HALF of Detroit schools is currently earning
$210,000.00. Earnley previously was
paid $110,000.00 as EM of Saginaw and $180,000.00 as EM in Flint—the increase
in his salary seems to be non-reflective of the progress that has NOT been made
in either previous endeavor.
http://michiganradio.org/post/eaa-progress-report-how-15-failing-detroit-schools-fared-year#stream/0
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