The meeting will be held in 12th floor conference room of the Fisher Building...you know, the one at 3011 W. Grand Blvd. You can also attend virtually or via conference phone. Info available here:

Here is a look at the agenda...the items with highlighting indicate that a downloadable document is available. Unfortunately, the CFO's report does not have any link for his presentation.

The link to the online agenda with the downloadable documents is here:

Well, we should be starting soon…hopefully the delay will let me get this WiFi sorted out

A lot has been happening with DPSCD and Michigan public in general recently…after covering this meeting I will post a number of links and attempt to connect some of them to what we hear today

Only 5 minutes past 9 and I already am going through my usual feeling guilty/bad about not being there live and wondering if I have the right Zoom link…like, am I actually waiting for a national quilting convention to start?

But I see name in the bottom left of image…she is DPSCD, so I should be in the right place🤔

Just been given the “thank you for your patience, we will start soon”

Definite confirmation I’m in the right Zoom…and they appear to start at 9:18

Explanation these are pre-audited numbers as they launch into financial overview

So I guess starting with CFO report…what happened to normal start of meeting and all that lovely Robert’s Rule of Order stuff?

There will be a $1 million food service surplus due to 1 time federal grant…much better than the anticipated $2 million deficit!

They are now launching into the High School Redesign plan…there is a downloadable document at online agenda page, agenda item 4.04

The plan appears to operate in context of something called Blueprint 2027…the redesign started with sample cohort and goal is to improve high school experience

Intend a scalable approach for developing college readiness

Here is staff feedback on 4 pillars of plan

The redesign plan recommends creating 5 different HS diplomas with various requirements aimed at relevance for specific post-HS goals

This slide shows what career ready programs/certs available…redesign will expand on this

Slide shows not all schools will offer all 5 diplomas…big change is push to get juniors and seniors early college exposure during HS

Big emphasis on academic advising and getting students thinking about their future plus necessity of “being present”

The redesign relies heavily on using cohorts

To make this happen they need to change school schedule…8 period or a & b

So…how do they pay for it? This points out some of short term costs….many of these costs are 1 time

Presenter pushes hope that there should be additional funds in future from philanthropy plus the redesign aligns with governors Growing Michigan Together

Now there is discussion/questions…what are plans for recruitment and participation as current career ready enrollment numbers are “woefully inadequate”

This redesign addresses some of current career ready tech centers…allows students to remain connected to their regular school, no additional financial costs

Not sure this completely addresses question, but they are going fast

Questions about make up of 5 diplomas…the Honors and Dual Degree diplomas also appear to result in an Associates degree, but this is not clear in the slide

Discussion continues and calls for a program element that will seek to ensure college readiness as more than ability to get in to college but also to be able to perform at college level

Some questions/discussion on the guiding goals….first, how does redesign get to heart of current HS underperformance?

Framing is currently majority of HS students graduating do not have plan for college and skills for immediate work in job with livable wage…redesign looks to creating intention and provide more career relevant opportunities

By increasing relevance of courses it is believed the attendance issue will be improved…this is based on survey data from students

Board member pushes back on the underlying assumption of chronic absenteeism…believes there are other reasons more elevated and driving the issue than how students feel about school/classes, as barriers caused by multi factors

Discussion about where current system stands regards to diploma standards, with concerns it is below other school systems…feels like she thinks redesign focuses too much on 11th-12th grade, and worries not enough for catch-up work at 9th

Why not require all students to complete top level diploma(s)? Some back and forth on this and relationship to college

Question about Arts diploma…limited opportunities due to facility/infrastructure availability plus likely decision to take that path would need to be made in 8th/9th grade

Board member states she is struggling with the added complexity of having 5 diplomas…presenter responds that for performance/outcomes to change, course programming must change and different diplomas reflect that

Question as to what the students think (which seems very relevant)…apparently, student leadership in some schools have been approached…not much detail here, though, and some talk about “the apps” being ready…will want to check transcript here at 10:30 point

Discussion about need to communicate redesign to middle school to get students/parents thinking about pathways prior to 9th grade

Board member requests more information on what surrounding county schools require for HS diploma requirements plus what Michigan Promise requires

Discussion on how eligibility for Michigan Promise does not guarantee eligibility for enrollment to every college in Michigan, as each has own standards

Move to discuss assessment calendar…looking for more flexibility and avoiding redundancy…motion approved (?)

Next, discussion of code of conduct…very minor changes and description of communication with administrators/principals in making the changes

On to superintendent evaluation tool…structure is same, changes minor and related to alignment with state statutes and name of projects. Evaluation will occur after MSTEP data is released, likely early September

Board member notes the projects directly connected to plans the board will have impact on need to noted; those the board not directly involved with need to have parameters specified

The High School Redesign is approved, but off the consent agenda for next board meeting

The changes to course catalog, with additional courses added, approved and moved to consent agenda

They are now moving on to various contracts… first is for ELL provided by Paper, Inc and Braintrust Tutors, Inc for $500,825 via virtual instruction…contract link available online at agenda page

Discussion about use of virtual instruction…questions as to other live options, current success levels…Vitti points out this is just one piece of ELL approach, live instruction and tutoring continues

A board member points to article/study on Columbus, OH school district pulling out of a virtual program that data showed was unused/ineffective…Vitti says he will be happy to continue discussion offline

ELL contract now off the consent agenda

Agenda items 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.10 all move to the regular board meeting consent agenda

Final action item is paying annual facility related fees—approved and appears pace of permitting from City has been adequate

Call for public comment …first person, Mother Redmon…asking about relevance of planned HS redesign

Vitti responds that goal is expansion of choices, college readiness and career prep…what we once knew as ‘wood shop’ becomes ‘carpentry’, ‘home ec’ designed to also prepare for professional cooking, etc

And just like that, they are gone, as mysteriously as they arrived 😲😆…adjourned at 11:13 AM

So, as we conclude, here are some links & comments for context. First, via media partner @chalkbeatDET and @BridgeDet313 @Micah_walker701 reports on the teachers finally getting a deal that actually moves the needle on pay. You can check it out here:

@chalkbeatDET @BridgeDet313 @Micah_walker701 From @Micah_walker701 article:
wages increase for all teachers, so first-year, mid-career, veteran
"The district said its starting salaries are the highest in Michigan and exceed the U.S. average starting teacher salary by more than $10,000"
Contract runs to 2026

@chalkbeatDET @BridgeDet313 @Micah_walker701 There was no direct whining about increased labor costs in this finance committee meeting...although it could connect indirectly, as one of major elements of the $12.8 million price tag for high school redesign is in faculty costs

@chalkbeatDET @BridgeDet313 @Micah_walker701 "More than 1,100 members of the DFT voted in the election, with 83% approving the contract, a nearly 10-percentage-point increase in approval compared with the previous agreement" So it would seem morale positive around the agreement...

@chalkbeatDET @BridgeDet313 @Micah_walker701 DFT says contract "restor(es) what were prohibited subjects of bargaining such as seniority, layoff and recall, transfers, evaluation and discipline; respectful working conditions such as restroom access, nursing mothers, and recess; and payroll-deducted union dues"

@chalkbeatDET @BridgeDet313 @Micah_walker701 Go to Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) website to get access to the agreement:

@chalkbeatDET @BridgeDet313 @Micah_walker701 Point of all these tweets is, again, to establish some context for the finance committee's meeting...labor costs are locked in to increase & should be expectation DFT will seek to build on gains when contract expires in 2026...toughest teaching jobs deserve highest pay...right?

Additionally, media partner @wdet reported in March that DPSCD Vitti's contract has been extended through 2028...

@wdet Oh, by the way: "As part of the amendment to his contract, Vitti will be getting a salary increase based on the percentage of teacher union pay increases"

@wdet The High School Redesign Plan, which dominated this meeting, envisions a 5-year transition period with cost of $67.2 million total; transition runs 2025-2030. Full text available here:

@wdet So, that is my coverage for the 7/26 DPSCD Finance Committee meeting...if anything in this coverage is incorrect, email documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line

@wdet As always, you can find more coverage at