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Hamtramck School District board meeting, Aug 12, 2026

2 h 58 min · 5 public speakers

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 2 h 58 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Hamtramck board approves social studies curriculum, software renewal and math materials 2:23:34

  • The board heard presentations on state infrastructure grants, the financial report and athletics costs. 11:12
  • A district staff member said the district applied for $35 million in 12E state infrastructure funds and received just over $11 million. 16:28
  • The meeting included a discussion of the superintendent evaluation that covered two-way communication with the community and building level leadership. 2:29:54

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (13)
  1. Opening and agenda approval 0:13
    • The meeting was called to order at 6:09 PM on Wednesday, August 12th, 2026, followed by the pledge and roll call. 0:13
  2. Student Advisory Council presentation 1:27
    • Student presenters described a Student Advisory Council that would collect student feedback through surveys and classroom sessions and bring recommendations to the board. 2:40
    • The presenters said the council differs from student government and would focus on district policy and student experiences. 4:14
    • In response to questions, presenters said the council is for high school students for now and would later reach out to middle and elementary schools. 10:14
  3. State infrastructure grants update 10:40
    • A district staff member said a 12A competitive grant provided $8.6 million to complete HVAC, window and asbestos work and required a 2-to-1 match. 11:50
    • The staff member said the 12E grant program awarded $224 million and the district received just over $11 million of the $35 million it applied for. 15:36
    • The staff member said approved projects include secure entry vestibules, fire alarms, public address systems, auditorium improvements, visitor bleachers, roofing and playground surfaces, scheduled for summers of 2027 and 2028. 17:18
  4. Financial report 24:57
    • A district staff member said that based on current entries the district is under budget on revenues and expenditures, but figures will change as transactions are recorded through the end of August. 27:21
    • The staff member said the district could spend up to $4.3 million to match $8.6 million and started out with a deficit because it knew it would be spending money on a capital project with no revenue coming in for it. 41:48
    • The staff member said the district planned for a deficit spend and usually comes back in January or February with an amendment after the student count. 43:30
  5. Athletics costs review 46:23
    • A district staff member said high school stipends went from $96,000 to $146,885 and that adding new sports increased athletic department costs. 46:23
    • A speaker said high school coaches received increases of 31% to 52% while middle school coaches received 2%. 52:45
    • The staff member said elementary grades 3 through 5 sports are moving to the recreation department as a program open to all city students. 53:40
  6. Special services department update 1:07:39
    • The executive director of special services said it is false that paraprofessionals are being removed from self-contained classrooms and that each will have at least 2, or 3 if a class reaches 10 students. 1:08:35
    • The executive director said timely IEPs rose from 84% to 99% and the department now has zero state complaints and zero lawsuits. 1:08:35
  7. Virtual learning program review 1:41:24
    • A district staff member said the virtual program had 60 students in the first semester and 79 in the second semester. 1:41:37
    • The staff member said district virtual students had a 73 pass rate compared with 60 statewide for schools with over 75% free or reduced lunch. 1:46:05
    • The staff member said middle school results declined and the program would put more emphasis on getting middle school students started. 1:48:59
  8. Behavior policy second reading 2:00:47
    • Board Policy 2006 was read for a second time; it delegates to the superintendent long-term suspensions not to exceed 30 days while the board retains longer suspensions and all expulsions. 2:00:47
  9. Audience participation 2:02:32
    • Several special services staff members spoke at audience participation about their roles, including compliance and behavior support. 2:03:13
    • A compliance manager asked the board to consider maintaining compliance support. 2:06:26
  10. Finance and curriculum purchases 2:21:43
    • The board considered the check register for July 9th, 2026 to August 12th, 2026 and a restated 403 plan. 2:22:06
    • The board considered a Frontline Technologies renewal not to exceed $95,378.77, math activity board sets not to exceed $59,880 funded through Title IV and a McGraw-Hill K-5 social studies curriculum not to exceed $164,216.81. 2:23:34
    • The math activities purchase, the K-5 social studies curriculum purchase and the behavior interventionist contract each carried 6 ayes, 1 absent. 2:24:06
  11. Contract, hiring, delegates and consent agenda 2:25:06
    • The board considered the Hamtramck Federation of Teachers behavior interventionist contract and the hiring of an assistant principal at Hamtramck High School effective August 31st, 2026. 2:25:25
    • The board considered appointing a board member as delegate to the Michigan Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly and another as alternate, and approved the consent agenda with item K struck. 2:27:12
    • The contract, delegates and consent agenda passed 6 ayes, 1 absent, and the hire passed 6 ayes, 1 abstention. 2:25:25
  12. Board calendar 2:28:20
    • The next regular meeting was set for September 9th at 6 PM, followed by October 7th and November 11th. 2:28:20
    • Board members discussed moving the November meeting and agreed to revisit it at the next meeting. ~2:29:35
  13. Superintendent evaluation discussion 2:29:54
    • The discussion covered evaluation sections on business and finance, communication and building level leadership. 2:30:30
    • One board member asked that the weekly update document where the superintendent is meeting and what the superintendent is doing. 2:43:44
    • A speaker said a climate and culture report was 203 pages and asked what was being done about it. 2:45:08

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Other meetings of this board

Video: posted by the district as “Hamtramck Public Schools Board Meeting 8/12/2026”