The Troy School District’s Board of Education is set to tackle a diverse and consequential agenda this week, with discussions ranging from symbolic recognitions to decisions carrying significant financial and educational weight for the district.
First, in addition to celebrating several student achievements, the board is expected to unanimously pass a resolution supporting gun safety and safe gun storage. This action, while carrying no legal authority, serves as a direct response to the recent tragic incident where a Troy elementary school-aged boy was injured after shooting himself with a weapon that was not securely stored.
The Consent Agenda features several major items, most notably two large contracts. Alongside the district’s annual renewal of the main food service contract, the board will review a new pupil transportation agreement with First Student. The administration is recommending approval of the contract despite a staggering 18.9% cost increase for the 2025-26 school year (a rise of $766,975.60) and a subsequent 9% increase for 2026-27 (an additional $434,401.70). This budget-busting increase will raise transportation spending from $4.06 million in the current year to over $5.26 million by 2026-27, a financial strain that will impact future budgets.
The Consent Agenda also includes a report on the districtâs Schools of Choice program, which, as we reported last week, failed to attract enough applicants from Oakland County to fill its allocated seats. It remains unclear as of this publication whether this report will present a plan to remedy the situation (i.e., a marketing campaign).
On the Personnel front, the administration has recommended three key appointments:
1. David Recker, currently the principal at Hamilton Elementary, is slated to become the new Director of Teaching and Learning. He replaces Natalie Haezebrouck, who resigned last month.
2. Reba McNally, a principal from Lakeview Public Schools, is recommended to fill Mr. Recker’s position as principal of Hamilton.
3. Katelyn Ebert from Romeo Community Schools is poised to become the new assistant principal at Baker Middle School.
While all these items are significant, the main event of the evening is the board’s vote on whether to adopt Lucy Calkins’ revised “Units of Study” as the “new” K-5 Writing curriculum. This proposal comes to the board under a cloud of controversy, following an unsuccessful community engagement process.Â
The administration’s recommendation to adopt Caulkins is profoundly troubling, as the curriculum is widely criticized for its lack of alignment with the vast body of research known as the Science of Reading. Independent, non-profit evaluators like EdReports.org have also found the program wanting. In the strongest possible terms, we call upon the TSD board to reject this flawed recommendation.
Approving a curriculum that is not supported by scientific research or objective expert review would be a severe disservice to our students as well as a violation of TSD’s own board policy #3000.01, which reads in part:Â
The School District’s curriculum will also include legally compliant, research-based learning and achievement standards for students who participate in career and technical education programs, as well as address the needs and provide opportunities for students with disabilities and students who are considered gifted.
The board must demonstrate its commitment to evidence-based education by demanding an additional pilot year or adopting a curriculum that has proven to be effective. Our childrenâs literacy is at stake.
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