Reforming and Improving the Detroit Public Schools: Report of the Strategic Support Teams of the Council of the Great City Schools Submitted to the Detroit Public Schools By the Council of the Great City Schools 2008 Reforming and Improving the Detroit Public Schools ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Council of the Great City Schools thanks the many individuals who contributed to this project to reform and improve the Detroit Public Schools. Their efforts and commitment were critical to our ability to present the district with the best possible proposals. First, we thank General Superintendent of Schools Dr. Connie Calloway. It is not easy to ask for the kind of review that a project such as this entails. It takes leadership, courage, openness, and an uncompromising commitment to the city’s children. She has those qualities in abundance. Second, we thank the Board of Education of the Detroit Public Schools for supporting this effort and meeting with our teams to discuss issues and challenges facing the district. We hope this report proves useful as the board leads the district through this critical period. Third, we thank staff members and teachers in the Detroit Public Schools, who provided all the time, documents, and data that the Council team needed to do its work. Their openness was critical to our understanding of the challenges faced by the Detroit school system. Fourth, we thank the many individuals, groups, organizations, and associations with which we met. Our only regret is that we were unable to meet with everyone who we know had something valuable to contribute. Fifth, the Council thanks the school districts and organizations that contributed staff to this effort. Most of the team members contributed their time pro bono to help the school district improve. The enthusiasm and generosity of these individuals serve as another example of how the nation’s urban public school systems are working together to help each other get better. Sixth, we thank the Skillman Foundation for providing the financial support necessary to conduct the project. The foundation’s commitment to the city and its well- being is exemplary. Finally, I thank Council staff members Ricki Price-Baugh and Robert Carlson, who drafted chapters of the report, and Dave Koch and Katherine Sanchez who prepared the initial technical drafts and data analyses. Their skills were critical to the success of this effort. Michael Casserly Executive Director Council of the Great City Schools Council of the Great City Schools 2 Reforming and Improving the Detroit Public Schools TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................2 Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................7 Purposes and Origins of the Project...............................................................................................15 Chapter 1. Background ..................................................................................................................22 Chapter 2. Curriculum and Instruction ..........................................................................................61 Chapter 3. Finance .......................................................................................................................114 Chapter 4. Procurement ...............................................................................................................125 Chapter 5. Information Technology.............................................................................................135 Chapter 6. Facilities .....................................................................................................................147 Chapter 7. Synopsis and Discussion ............................................................................................157 Appendix A. MEAP Achievement Data......................................................................................159 Appendix B. Budget Survey ........................................................................................................162 Appendix C. District and School Staffing Definitions ................................................................170 Appendix D. Individuals Interviewed..........................................................................................174 Appendix E. Documents Reviewed .............................................................................................183 Appendix F. Strategic Support Teams.........................................................................................193 Appendix G. Working Agendas...................................................................................................208 Appendix H. About the Council ..................................................................................................222 Council of the Great City Schools 3 Reforming and Improving the Detroit Public Schools Exhibits Exhibit 1. Detroit Public School Enrollment by School Year .........................................23 Exhibit 2. Student Profile of Detroit Public Schools and Michigan Public Schools, 2003- 04 Through 2006-2007 ...................................................................................24 Exhibit 3. Detroit Public Schools and Michigan Special Education Population, 2003-04 Through 2006-07 .............................................................................................25 Exhibit 4. Number of Detroit Public Schools, 2004-05 Through 2007-08 .....................25 Exhibit 5. Detroit Public Schools, Michigan and Great City Schools’ Pupil/Teacher Ratio and Average Enrollment per School, 2003-04 Through 2005-06 .........26 Exhibit 6. Spending Levels per Pupil in Detroit and the Great City Schools, 2004-05 ...27 Exhibit 7. Comparing Detroit Schools’ Salaries and Benefits per Pupil with Urban School Averages, 2004-05...............................................................................28 Exhibit 8. Comparing Detroit School Pupil/Staffing Levels with Urban School Averages, 2005-06 ............................................................................................................30 Exhibit 9. Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) Proficiency Levels and Definitions........................................................................................................31 Exhibit 10. MEAP English Language Arts Results for Detroit Students and Students Statewide, Percent Performing at Proficient or Advanced Levels, Grades 3-8, Fall 2005 Through Fall 2007 ...........................................................................32 Exhibit 11. MEAP English Language Arts Performance Levels for Detroit Students and Students Statewide by Grade Level, Fall 2005 through Fall 2007 ..................33 Exhibit 12. MEAP Reading Results for Detroit Students and Students Statewide, Percent Performing at Proficient or Advanced Levels, Grades 3-8, Fall 2005 through Fall 2007 ..........................................................................................................34 Exhibit 13. MEAP Reading Performance Levels for Detroit Students and Students Statewide by Grade Level, Fall 2005 Through Fall 2007 ................................................35 Exhibit 14. MEAP Writing Results for Detroit Students and Students Statewide, Percent Performing at Proficient or Advanced Levels, Grades 3-8, Fall 2005 Through Fall 2007............................................................................................35 Exhibit 15. MEAP Writing Performance Levels for Detroit Students and Students Statewide by Grade Level, Fall 2005 Through Fall 2007 ................................................37 Council of the Great City Schools 4 Reforming and Improving the Detroit Public Schools Exhibit 16. MEAP Mathematics Results for Detroit Students and Students Statewide, Percent Performing at Proficient or Advanced Levels, Grades 3-8, Fall 2005 Through Fall 2007............................................................................................38 Exhibit 17. MEAP Mathematics Performance Levels for Detroit Students and Students Statewide by Grade Level, Fall 2005 Through Fall 2007................................39 Exhibit 18. MEAP Science Results for Detroit Students and Students Statewide, Percent Performing at Proficient or Advanced Levels, Grades 5 and 8, Fall 2006 and Fall 2007...........................................................................................40 Exhibit 19. MEAP Social Studies Results for Detroit Students and Students Statewide, Percent Performing at Proficient or Advanced Levels, Grades 6 and 9, Fall 2006 and Fall 2007...........................................................................................40 Exhibit 20. Disaggregated MEAP English Language Arts Scores by Percent at or Above Proficient for Detroit Students and Students Statewide, 2005-2007 ...............41 Exhibit 21. Disaggregated MEAP Mathematics Scores by Percent at or Above Proficient for Detroit Students and Students Statewide, 2005-2007 ................................43 Exhibit 22. English Language Arts Achievement Gap between Detroit Students and Students Statewide by Subgroups for Grades 3, 5, and 7 by Year ..................46 Exhibit 23. Mathematics Achievement Gap Between Detroit Students and Students Statewide by Subgroups for Grades 3, 5, and 7 by Year .................................48 Exhibit 24. Detroit