EAA Conversation (Update)

Local commentary

EAA’s biggest backers ignore its biggest shortcomings

By Bert Johnson

   In a recent public relations push, Eli and Edyth Broad and Education Achievement Authority Chancellor John Covington have rehashed dubious talking points claiming success in the EAA, while ignoring the fledgling district’s fiscal mismanagement, failure to educate students, inability to keep children safe, and the inexperienced, nonspecialized teachers charged with remediating kids.

   One of the stale claims is that in just five months, 22% of students have made more than a year’s progress in math and 27% have advanced a year in reading. Never mind that this also means 78% of students in math and 72% of students in reading have not achieved such results, and the baseline and subsequent testing results are skewed because of technological glitches that were not addressed until the EAA received a $2 million cash advance from the state.

   Documents obtained though the Freedom of Information Act revealed information that Gov. Rick Snyder, Republican legislators and EAA officials consider closely guarded secrets.

   The EAA has lost 12.6% of its teachers since September. At a recent EAA board meeting, a member of the administration addressed so-called “separation concerns.” According to testimony from a teacher at Burns Elementary-Middle School, students there did not have full-time teachers in three of their four core subject areas for months, and substitute teachers often did not last an entire day. This comports with reports out of Pershing High School, in which a dozen Teach for America members walked off the job, leaving pupils in the classroom, last year. In some cases, athletic department staff is teaching students.

   The EAA lacks leadership and fiscal competence. It received two $6 million loans from the cash-strapped DPS without the board being aware, on top of the separate state aid advance. Covington told a House panel the EAA needs more cash than traditional public schools receive and has sold legislators on its ability to fund raise from private organizations. This private fundraising has come up drastically short. The EAA’s administration is bloated and each of the 15 principals makes tens of thousands of dollars more than their traditional public school counterparts.

   Covington, prior to coming to Michigan, lost state accreditation for the Kansas City Public Schools. I doubt that Mr. Broad would hire somebody with this track record to manage his charities or businesses — so why do our children get stuck with failed bureaucrats?

   The Broads and Covington can table their rhetoric about “adults over kids” and “maintaining the status quo.” I’ve worked on bipartisan education reform legislation that passed a divided Legislature and cost me union endorsements. Political correctness and party dogma have no bearing on my decisions.

   A bipartisan approach that safeguards and accountability, was scrapped when Republicans took over the state government.

   Snyder and the Legislature must scrap the EAA’s failed experiment and go back to the drawing board. This time, they should include parents, experts and others who care about public education in their deliberations, and leave out those who stand to profit off of Michigan’s children.

   Bert Johnson, a Democrat from Highland Park, represents Michigan's 2nd District in the state Senate.

Bert Johnson