April 15, 2007
Skillman's new school plan puts Detroit students first
In another sign of a major attitude shift among Detroiters, the Skillman Foundation is resurrecting its planning for a new charter high school, while supporting the creation of other nonpublic schools in the city.
Some Detroiters see Skillman's moves as traitorous to public schools. But Skillman is a reflection of a profound, hopeful change that benefits the city and, most importantly, Detroit's children.
Next month, Skillman will lead a group of civic leaders to Houston to explore two schools that could serve as models for the proposed school. Carol Goss, Skillman's president and chief executive, says the foundation's utmost concern is the educational excellence of all Detroit schools, whether they are private, public or charter.
Driven by eager grassroots demand, Skillman is funding planning grants for two community groups' exploration of developing innovative high schools, including one on the north side, and a Catholic school to preserve the city's longstanding Catholic education tradition.
The Houston trip's timing coincidentally follows Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's recent disclosure that he is talking with charter school leaders about their expansion, making some Detroiters worry the city's black establishment is giving up on public schools.
Skillman traditionally has focused on public school systems. And only five years ago, most African-American leaders, and many Hispanic ones, would not publicly support charter schools, lest they be demonized as traitors to Detroit's public schools and thus the city itself.
Increasingly, however, African-American Detroiters, in particular, are balancing identity politics with student achievement, which is becoming their priority. This is hardly a sign of betrayal, but a positive movement.
"We are not making a shift away" from the public schools, Goss said last week in an interview with The News. "This is about offering high-quality educational choices for every child in Detroit."
Indeed, among Skillman's "Good Schools" education grants, 75 of 96 grants go to public schools. If Skillman's evolution reflects a change, Goss says, it is from a previous focus on system wide reform to a post-2003 emphasis on what makes successful individual schools.
Skillman leaders and potential charter partners had been talking about the north-end school for more than two years, but previous deals fizzled.
If built, the school would be a small piece in the foundation's $25 million annual grant-making to education and neighborhood redevelopment.
Still, Goss, Kilpatrick and other reform-minded leaders likely will continue to face criticism. On Thursday, the Detroit school board passed a resolution in support of the district in light of such leaders' interest in opening more charter schools -- which one board member likened to a vote of no-faith in the school district.
But with about half of Detroit's 200,000 school-age children attending private or charter schools, Goss agrees that already for many Detroit African-Americans, the conversation about education has shifted from "Are you with us?" to "What works best for students?"
Detroit school leaders need to ask the latter question and focus on right-sizing the district and implementing overdue reforms to make it more attractive to parents.
Skillman's school efforts
The Skillman Foundation funds a variety of Detroit education projects, including:
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