Don Weatherspoon

Patience please, Muskegon Heights school leaders “building the airplane as we fly it”

Lindsey Smith — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This story is the fourth in a four-part series about how things are going so far in Michigan's first fully privatized public school district. Find part one here, part two here, and part three here.

Students in Muskegon Heights are going through a lot of changes this year, because the entire school district was converted to a charter school system. After tackling some tough issues in the first half of the school year, the operators of the charter school system want the public to give them a full school year to put the changes in place.

Muskegon Heights students hope for less "chaos" as they return to class today

Lindsey Smith — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Muskegon Heights students are heading back to class today to begin the second half of what’s been a very turbulent school year.

This story is the first in a four-part series about how things are going so far in Michigan's first fully privatized public school district. Find part two here, part three here, and part four here.

Old district “implodes” after years-long financial problems

The school board in Muskegon Heights battled a budget deficit for at least six years in a row. They gave up the fight a year ago and asked the state to just take over.

“The system that was in place imploded,” said Don Weatherspoon, the guy the state eventually sent in late April to be the emergency manager.

"Enrollment went down, costs went up, they borrowed more than they could pay back; you’re on a collision course with disaster and that’s what happened," Weatherspoon explained. Student enrollment is a big factor in how much money a school district receives from the state.

“Everything that you can think of basically broke down. Discipline, learning, record-keeping, financial accounting, etc,” Weatherspoon said.

By May, Weatherspoon discovered the district is more than $16 million dollars in debt; so much debt it couldn’t afford to open school in the fall.

Allen Park gets emergency financial manager; prompts EFM shuffle in other communities

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:45:50 +0000

The City of Allen Park is the latest to get a state appointed emergency financial manager. The move affects who’s in charge in some other communities who already have emergency managers.

Muskegon Heights will vote on renewing millage for privatized public schools

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 23:53:47 +0000

The emergency financial manager of Muskegon Heights Public Schools is asking voters to renew an operating millage for the next 16 years.

“The outcome of this millage will change the future of Muskegon Heights forever,” says a letter the school district’s emergency financial manager Don Weatherspoon sent home to parents this week.

Weatherspoon privatized the school district so he could focus on paying off its $16 million debt. That debt is mostly owed to the State of Michigan.

Check out the details of Michigan’s first privatized public school system

Lindsey Smith — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:07:56 +0000

Parents in the Muskegon Heights Public School district are just starting to get an idea of what to expect for their children this fall.

The district is having major financial problems and is under the control of a state appointed emergency manager, Donald Weatherspoon.

Weatherspoon said turning over the entire district to a charter school operator was his only option to keep school open this year.

Last week, the three-member school board (appointed by the Weatherspoon) hired Mosaica Education Inc. to operate the schools in Muskegon Heights.

Muskegon Heights charter school budget assumes more students and state money

Lindsey Smith — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 20:28:19 +0000

The school board for the new charter school system in Muskegon Heights will likely adopt a preliminary budget Monday.

Muskegon Heights schools’ emergency manager hired a for-profit charter school company to run the public school system for the next five years.

Private, for-profit charter company to run Muskegon Heights schools

Lindsey Smith — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:38:10 +0000

The emergency manager of the Muskegon Heights Public School district has signed a contract with a private company to run the district next year.

Mosaica Education is a for-profit charter operator that already runs six other charter schools in Michigan.

Muskegon Heights emergency manager signs charter school contract – will reveal Monday

Lindsey Smith — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 19:57:07 +0000

The emergency manager of Muskegon Heights Public Schools says he’s signed a contract with a charter operator that will practically run the whole school district next school year.

In a press release sent out this afternoon, Emergency Manager Don Weatherspoon says he’ll review the signed contract during a public meeting on Monday. The statement doesn’t say which charter school company got the deal. Weatherspoon was not available to discuss the release.

Plans to have charter operator run Muskegon Heights schools going slower than expected

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 21:48:02 +0000

Students in Muskegon Heights Public Schools are still in limbo while the district's state-appointed emergency manager decides what charter school company will manage the system.

MHPS Emergency Manager Don Weatherspoon told parents in May he planned to turn the entire system over to a charter operator this fall. He also said he wanted to have a contract signed June 13.

There’s still no contract in place. That means parents don’t know yet if their kids will get bussed to class, if the district will offer athletics, AP classes, or band next school year.

Muskegon Heights charter takeover a 'state bailout,' new report says

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:10:20 +0000

Muskegon Heights Public Schools voted late last year to request a state emergency manager in an effort to sort out chronically troubled finances. Part of the plan emergency manager Don Weatherspoon eventually came up with involved turning schools in the district over to a charter operator.

But as the Detroit Free Press reports today, a study from a non-profit research group says the turnover amounts to little more than a state bailout.

Teachers' union, emergency manager at Muskegon Heights schools settle lawsuit

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 23:32:09 +0000

The teachers’ union at Muskegon Heights Public Schools has settled a lawsuit against the district. The union had alleged the district’s emergency manager was engaged in unfair labor practices.

No football? No band? Muskegon Heights parents get few details about charter school plan

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 31 May 2012 04:46:28 +0000

Muskegon Heights Public Schools Emergency Manager Don Weatherspoon heard from parents, alumni, teachers, and taxpayers during and after the meeting. He reassured parents a free neighborhood school will be open this fall.