There’s talk of a major investment in Flint Community Schools.
But at this point, it’s still just talk.
Flint public schools have been caught in a downward spiral for years, declining enrollment fueled by aging buildings.
But key players in Flint have been talking behind the scenes about a plan to build new schools.
Those talks have produced a draft “Memorandum of Understanding” that outlines a plan to build new school buildings, including a replacement for the former Flint Central High School. The plan also includes money for addition educational resources. The plan’s price tag is pegged at $340 million dollars.
It calls for major investment by the state of Michigan, as well as federal funding and tens of millions of dollars in bond financing. But the bulk of the money would come from the Flint-based Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Ridgway White is the president and CEO of the Mott Foundation. He says a draft agreement leaked this week “wasn’t quite ready for prime time.” White says the agreement has not been finalized and none of the parties involved have signed off on it.
“The one positive of this thing being leaked is that it gives an opportunity for the community to weigh in earlier in the process,” says White.
White says talks began back in 2017. He says at this point there is no timetable to move the conversation forward.
