HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2011.03.09 - 18697MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #11056
BY: Commissioner Shelley G. Taub, District #16
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — SUPPORT FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS the International Academy is a consortium school which serves 1,200 students from 21
member districts throughout Oakland and is a model of excellence in public education; and
WHEREAS the International Academy operates on three campuses and provides an International
Baccalaureate program to students from the 21 member districts of: Troy, South Lyon, Pontiac, Huron
Valley, Holly, Clarkston, Fenton, Avondale, Berkley, Birmingham. Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Farmington,
Lake Orion, Oxford, Rochester, Royal Oak, Southfield, Walled Lake, Waterford and West Bloomfield; and
WHEREAS the International Academy was rated as the number one International Baccalaureate School
in the country and the number two public high school in the country by U.S. News and World Reports in
2009. Their students have earned the highest public ACT average in the State of Michigan; and
WHEREAS each member district is allocated a designated number of seats, which it can fill with its own
resident students. The number of seats allocated to each member district is determined, in part, by the
funding level authorized by each school district and is based on a percentage of the school districts
foundation allowance for each student enrolled at the International Academy; and
WHEREAS due to the severe budget crisis, some schools participating in the consortium have had to
make the difficult choice of withdrawing their participation. This economic impact places the International
Academy at risk of losing students and possibly closing; and
WHEREAS future withdrawals may occur and the remaining consortium member school districts may not
able to absorb all of these available seats; and
WHEREAS the International Academy wishes to preserve its unique consortium structure and address
declining enrollment by opening enrollment to students who attend non-member districts; and;
WHEREAS the International Academy has proposed that the Superintendent of Public Instruction utilize
his legal authority to grant a waiver from the Michigan Department of Education from the State School Aid
Act of 1979 [MCL 388.1705, Section 105], which would allow the International Academy to preserve its
unique consortium structure and offer open seats to students from non-member districts; and
WHEREAS the International Academy's request for a waiver would allow the consortium of school
districts to act as a Local Educational Agency (special program, specialized magnet or intra-district choice
stthouiiprogram), with one consortium, member per campus to act as the entry point for choice students
residing in other districts; and
WHEREAS this request from the International Academy would allow the consortium to remain in place
with the advantages it was structured to achieve, while providing access to a limited number of students
from non-consortium districts within Oakland County. This would offer the International Academy's
exemplary program to a more diverse group of students, which preserving its highly effective consortium
structure.
WHEREAS this proposal, which would not have any financial impact on the State of Michigan, was
presented to the Michigan Department of Education over one year ago; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, hereby
recognizes the exceptional work of the International Academy in instilling cultural appreciation, while
promoting personal development and a passion for learning.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners requests the Michigan
Superintendent of Instruction to approve the request from the International Academy and waive and/or
otherwise modify the requirements of Section 105 of the State School Aid Act, MCL 388.1705(2), which
Chairperson, we move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
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are vital to the long-term and continued success of the International Academy in providing educational
excellence.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk is requested to forward copies of this
adopted resolution to Governor Rick Snyder; Michigan Superintendent of Instruction Michael P. Flanagan;
Michigan Department of Education; Lynne Gibson, Principal of the International Academy; Oakland
County's delegation to the Michigan Legislature; Oakland Intermediate School District; the
Superintendents and School Boards of the following school districts: Troy, South Lyon, Pontiac, Huron
Valley, Holly, Clarkston, Fenton, Avondale, Berkley, Birmingham. Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Farmington,
Lake Orion, Oxford, Rochester, Royal Oak, Southfield, Walled Lake, Waterford and West Bloomfield; and
Oakland County's legislative lobbyists.
Commissioner Commissioner
District # District
Resolution #11056 March 9, 2011,
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no
objections.