“I am disappointed that the state School Reform Office continues to threaten schools with closure when we have clearly failed to invest in our schools so our students can get a proper education. The governor even has a study on his desk that says we are underfunding our schools by $1,200 per student. Schools — including Ann Visger Elementary School, the River Rouge school in my district which is on this list — can succeed if we support our teachers and students with the funding and classroom resources that they need to deliver a first-class education. School closings should be the absolute last step we take and they impact not only the students and parents, but entire neighborhoods. It is also unreasonable and unfair to close a school based on data from tests that have changed over the past three years.
“We need a more comprehensive process for school closings, and I proposed one last session in my bill, House Bill 5125. I am reintroducing that bill next week and it includes a timeline for notification of parents and employees, a public hearing requirement, and a timeline for securing the building after closure among other things. I hope we can work together to properly support our schools and create an orderly process for a school closing if and when that is absolutely necessary.”