FLINT -- “We’re on our way up,” said Flint Community Schools Superintendent Linda Thompson, during the State of the District presentation Thursday at the Sarvis Conference Center. Thompson unveiled improvements in test scores including elementary and middle school proficiency in reading and math.
However a look at high school graduation rates only showed a slight gain in a majority of students that go beyond the traditional four years. 52.6% of seniors graduated after four years compared with 57.5% of students graduating after five years of high school.
Thompson acknowledged there was more work to do, and hopes the overall quality of education does not suffer considering the millions of dollars in state education funding being lost. The district laid off more than 300 teachers in April, ahead of a projected $25 million budget deficit.
On Thursday state lawmakers sent a complete state budget to Governor Rick Snyder for a signature; a budget that contains the highly contested cuts of $470 per pupil. That cut makes up much of Flint’s projected shortfall, although the increased cost of staff retirement, health care contributions and declining enrollment also factor in.
The Flint Board of Education will meet on June 1st to review a new school budget; one which could allow for some of those laid off workers to be called back to the job.
