Roberts Signs Contract to Remain EFM for the Detroit Public Schools

CBS Detroit reported that the emergency financial manager for the Detroit Public Schools, Roy Roberts, announced on Monday, March 12, that he would be extending his stay another year. Roberts was due to vacate his post in May.

Roberts made his announcement in an exclusive interview with WWJ Newsradio on Monday morning. He said that leaving in May could have put the work that he has done with the DPS "in jeopardy."

Here are some of the details regarding Roberts' decision to stay on another year with the DPS, as well as decisions made in his first year in office.

- The DPS is Michigan's largest school system by far, with 66,000 students, 130 schools, and an annual budget of more than $1 billion.

- Roberts' new contract has the EFM staying put until May 16, 2013, according to the Detroit News. He will be paid the same $250,000 salary that he received through the first contract.

- Roberts has repeatedly said that he believes that under his guidance that the DPS system has been able to make substantial gains, including reducing its deficit from $347 million to $83.6 million in under a year.

- Roberts is actually the second EFM to run the DPS. Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm had appointed Robert Bobb to oversee the DPS in 2009. Gov. Rick Snyder replaced Bobb with Roberts in May of last year.

- Roberts has eliminated 400 positions in the DPS since taking office, according to the Huffington Post.

- Critics have also pointed out that his budget deficit reduction plan largely relied on what are referred to as "long-term" bonds. Which means that when they mature in 10 years, the district will be $500 million in debt once again.

- He has also cut DPS employee pay by 10 percent across the board and has instituted a requirement that they pay 20 percent of their own health care costs.

- In addition to serving as the EFM for the DPS, Roberts will have a place on the board of the newly instituted Education Achievement System. The EAS is the brainchild of Gov. Snyder and will essentially create a new state-led school district by removing failing schools from their home district to be part of the EAS.

- Roberts' tenure has been the focus of several lawsuits, including one that is currently before the Michigan Supreme Court. A related ballot initiative aimed at striking down the state's emergency financial manager law in November has put Roberts' job in question.

- For his part, Roberts says he is focused on "getting the job done," according to the Associated Press.

Vanessa Evans is a musician and freelance writer based in Michigan with a lifelong interest in politics and public issues.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/roberts-signs-contract-remain-efm-detroit-public-schools-230600759.html

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