SCHEDULE DETROIT SCHOOL BOARD VOTE IN NOVEMBER 2003
House Bill 4508 (Substitute H-4)
Sponsor: Rep. Bill McConico
Committee: Commerce
Complete to 7-2-03
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4508 (SUBSTITUTE H-4) AS REPORTED BY THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE ON 7-2-03
Public Act 10 of 1999 essentially suspended the powers and duties of the elected school board of the Detroit Public Schools and instead authorized the appointment of a seven-member school reform board by the mayor of the city. (One of the seven members for the first five years, however, is the state superintendent of instruction). The reform board was authorized to appoint a chief executive officer for the school district. The act further required that the question of whether to retain the new system be put before school district voters after five years. Specifically, the act required the question to be placed on the ballot at the next November general election occurring at least 90 days after the expiration of five years after the date of the initial appointment of the school reform board. [That would be the November 2004 general election.] If voters vote to retain the reform school board and the chief executive officer, and the authority of the mayor to appoint the board, the question could not be put on the ballot for another five years. If the voters vote not to retain the reform board system, a special election would have to be held to elect a new school board, which would become the governing board of the school district by next July 1 after the election.
House Bill 4508 would amend the Revised School Code to schedule the vote on whether to retain the school reform board and the chief executive officer on November 4, 2003.
MCL 380.375
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.