Written by Tanya Terry, with featured photo by Tanya Terry
Dr. Joyce Ellis McNeal, president of the Flint Community School board, recently discussed the transformative new high school project with the Courier. The project aims to address significant challenges, including increasing enrollment across the district.
“It’s the first time that Flint has had brand new school in 50 years,” noted McNeal. “And so, I think that’s what the excitement is about. But there are still challenges. It’s not about just having a new school. We got to get these state reading and math test scores up. And so that’s also a challenge. We got to get enrollment up, not just for the new school, for the schools that we have.”
McNeal explained that the district loses approximately $10 million annually for each school that closes due to lost per-student state funding of $10,500. She said a critical challenge emerged when Neithercut Elementary School was unexpectedly closed by a board motion, resulting in the loss of 168 students, with only about 30 remaining in the district.
The Michigan Department of Education has set a performance requirement of 9% improvement in test scores across the board, building on a previous 1% annual target that was not achieved.
To address these issues, the district hired Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson as an academic consultant, often described as a top expert in the nation. Cook-Robinson formerly served as superintendent of Oakland Schools from 2015 to 2024 and is the only superintendent of color in the history of intermediate school districts in the state, having managed over 20,000 students in 28 public school districts and over 20 public service academies. Currently she serves as the executive director of the Urban Superintendents Association of America.
Tracy Davis of the Urban Superintendents Collaborative was hired as a board consultant. In working with the board on district turnaround plans, she helps evaluate academic proficiency and growth data along with Cook-Robinson.
The new high school, with a capacity of about 1,000 students, is expected to open at the start of the 2028-2029 school year, with demolition and site preparation already underway and a December 3, 2026, timeline start date.
The district is already partnering with various organizations including the Mott Foundation and Doctor Ja’Nel Jamerson, a prominent education leader closely associated with Educare Flint, to create collaborative academic programs focused on meeting each child where they are.
McNeal emphasized the importance of 100% parent participation and mentioned the hiring of Concentric, a research company, to conduct ethnographic surveys of 400-600 homes to understand why families left public schools and what would encourage them to return.
The district also toured Mississippi schools that successfully improved from 35% to 85% passing rates and hired Greene Education Services, LLC, a corporation that worked with over 60 school districts in Mississippi schools. Greene Education Services was hired to provide professional development and teacher training.
Additionally, Flint Community Schools received $8.8 million in state funding from both Republican and Democratic legislators for demolition of vacant school buildings including McKinley, Northern and others.
McNeal emphasized that the new school will use open enrollment and that student input will be sought when naming the school, allowing them to use their creativity.
She stressed the importance of cultural climate and culturally relevant lessons in a multicultural school setting and noted that the Mott Foundation is funding playground renovations in multiple schools designed with student input, as well.
If Flint Community Schools is unable to improve test scores, enrollment and/or financial situation, the State of Michigan could enforce stricter financial plans, require facility closures or consolidation or even ultimately trigger an emergency authority.
However, McNeal expressed confidence and optimism that none of those things will happen. She shared her appreciation for external support and partnerships that continue to help Flint despite internal challenges, along with her gratitude for others working alongside the district and board within the local capacity.
