By Harold C. Ford
“Evidently there is something missing.”
– Joyce Ellis-McNeal, president, Flint Board of Education, Feb. 19, 2025
An outpouring of frustration by Flint Board of Education (FBOE) President Joyce Ellis-McNeal – fueled by persistently diminished student enrollment and less-than-average state test scores – was a centerpiece at the body’s 3.5-hour meeting on Feb. 19, 2025.
Following a presentation by Wendell Greene and Tracy Harris – representatives of Alabama-based Greene Education Services who were looking to partner with Flint Community Schools (FCS) – Ellis-McNeal launched into an impassioned review of her tenure on the FBOE.
“For four years I sit on this board, and this board was clueless about understanding the data of academics,” Ellis-McNeal said. “The board does not understand the data.”
She repeated that she’d been part of the FBOE for four years and, “we still doing the same thing.”
Ellis-McNeal and Vice President Laura MacIntyre are, at present, the longest-serving FBOE members. They joined the board in January 2021 after winning election in November 2020.
“Here it is 2025 and this district has done spent $156 million [in ESSER/Covid-relief funds] and the enrollment is still at 2,700,” said Ellis-McNeal. “15,000 kids here in Flint, only 2,700 wants to come to your school.”
Some of her commentary was directed to Greene and Harris: “And you stand before us and say ‘We have improved one percent’ … It’s embarrassing,” she said. “Help us help the community and get a grip on these children’s education … What I am for is building a program where parents wake up every morning and say, ‘My child is going to a school that address their issues.’”
Ellis-McNeal continued, noting that she was “tired of talking about land.” Referencing Neithercut Elementary, which is set to close at the end of the current school year, she added, “I’m tired of talking about closing buildings; I’m sick of it.”
“But you cannot build a beautiful house [a reference to ESSER-funded upgrades of FCS buildings] and not put something in it,” concluded Ellis-McNeal. “It doesn’t have to be closed if you put something in it.”
Following Ellis-McNeal’s commentary, the FBOE voted 6-1 to take on Greene Education Services as an additional partner for the district. The board also explored a partnership possibility with Detroit-based Harvell & Associates at the same Feb. 19 meeting.
Thus, Greene Education Services and Harvell Associates join multiple Flint partners – past, present, and possibly future – in an attempt to turn around the academic and enrollment challenges of the district. A partial list includes: Michigan’s Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services; Genesee Intermediate School District; C. S. Mott Foundation; Children’s Defense Fund’s Freedom School Model; Michigan State University; Crim Fitness Foundation; Center for Educational Excellence; Klingman Foundation; Flint Soapbox Derby; El Ballet Folklorico; Plante Moran; Flint Police Department; and Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps.
Recent assessment data
While East Village Magazine (EVM) has reported on FCS enrollment data multiple times in recent years, it last reported assessment data – one target of Ellis McNeal’s Feb. 19 frustration – compiled by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) in September 2023.
EVM selected six critical categories for the brief analysis that follows, though plentiful other data is available at the MDE MI School Data website.
(Please note: DTM is Durant Tuuri Mott and ALA is Accelerated Learning Academy.)
Percent of students proficient in all subjects on state tests, 2023-24
- Flint: Brownell, < 5%; Doyle/Ryder, < 5%; DTM, 8%; Eisenhower, 10%; Freeman, 14%; Neithercut; 6%; Potter, 8%, Holmes, 6%; ALA, < 5%; Southwestern, 7%
- Similar Schools average: from 11% to 16%
- State of Michigan average: consistently 38%
Ratio of students to instructional staff, 2024-25
- Flint: Brownell, 13:1; Doyle/Ryder, 53:1; DTM, 20:1; Eisenhower, 16:1; Freeman, 31:1; Neithercut, 23:1; Potter, 40:1; Holmes, 27:1; ALA, no data; Southwestern, no data
- Similar Schools average: from 17:1 to 21:1
- State of Michigan average: consistently 17:1
On-track attendance, 2023-24
- Flint: Brownell, 12%; Doyle/Ryder, 28%; DTM, 23%; Eisenhower, 31%; Freeman, 30%; Neithercut, 32%; Potter, 22%; Holmes, 11%; ALA, 5%; Southwestern, 12%
- Similar Schools average: from 36% to 54%
- State of Michigan average: consistently 70%
Total school expenditures per-pupil, 2022-23 [numbers rounded]
- Flint: Brownell, $21,300 (or $21.3K); Doyle/Ryder, $22.1K: DTM, $21.8K; Eisenhower, $21.4K; Freeman, $22.9K; Neithercut, $22.5K; Potter, $23.8K; Holmes, $22.4K; ALA, $24.6K; Southwestern, $25.9K
- Similar Schools average: from $14K to $19.2K
- State of Michigan average: consistently $14.7K
As evidenced by the preceding data, while Eisenhower and Freeman matched the state test performance of some similar schools, no Flint schools came close to the State of Michigan average. Only Brownell, DTM, and Eisenhower compare favorably to State of Michigan student-staff ratios while all other Flint buildings exceed state averages, and not a single Flint school performed up to similar schools’ average or the State of Michigan average in the category of on-track attendance. All of this despite the total school expenditures per-pupil in Flint schools, in every building, substantially exceeding state averages.
Two other important measures for secondary-level pupils found at the MDE website include graduation rate and postsecondary enrollment.
Graduation rate
- Flint: ALA, 27%; Southwestern, 62%
- Similar schools: 60% [schools like ALA]: 82% [schools like Southwestern Classical Academy]
- State of Michigan average: 83%
Postsecondary enrollment
- Flint: ALA, 19%; Southwestern, 35%
- Similar Schools average: 22% [schools like ALA]; 38% [schools like Southwestern]
- State of Michigan average: 58%
As evidenced above, the graduation rate at Flint’s two secondary schools is substantially less than similar Michigan schools. Further, as both districts have similar demographics, EVM offers a side-by-side comparison of Flint’s Southwestern Academy (SWA) and Beecher High School (BHS) as shown below:
- Percent of students proficient in all subjects: SWA, 7%; BHS, 11%
- On-track attendance: SWA, 12%; BHS, 41%
- Total school expenditures per pupil: SWA, $25.9K; BHS, $18.9K
- Graduation rate: SWA, 62%; BHS, 74%
- Postsecondary enrollment: SWA, 35%; Beecher 43%
While Flint receives 37% more in total school expenditures per pupil, or $7,000 per pupil, Beecher outperforms Flint in all of the categories presented above.
Glimmers of hope
At the conclusion of the 3.5-hour FBOE meeting on Feb. 19, FCS Director of Academics Kelly Fields reported, “Our schools are all on track.”
Fields was referencing interim benchmarks achieved by all ten FCS schools that are in partnership with the MDE. Those benchmarks included:
- FBOE and superintendent will participate in at least two workshops that address “roles, responsibilities, governance, and communication.”
- Install a “technology-based platform for human resources and finances.”
- “Professional learning for district and building leaders focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
- “A plan to provide certified teachers in all K-12 classrooms.”
- “All schools will implement at least three of the Critical Components in the Literacy Implementation Plans … by June 30, 2024.”
- Review and evaluate the effectiveness of the district-wide [student] attendance system.”
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The next meeting of the Flint Board of Education is scheduled for April 9, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the ALA building auditorium, located at 1602 S. Averill in Flint. Meetings can be accessed, live or recorded, on YouTube.
Editor’s note: Harold C. Ford spent 44 years in public education, with 43 of those years at Beecher in three different capacities. He has covered education topics for EVM, namely Flint Community Schools, for the past six years.
