Back in January, the poor leadership at FAMU’s Developmental Research School (DRS) and dirty politics on the university’s Board of Trustees led to a six figure bailout for the K-12 program.On January 29, 2010, the FAMU BOT voted to use $425,802 from the FAMU DRS Trust Fund to cover projected deficits at the school.
The primary source of funding for FAMU DRS is the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) at the Florida Department of Education. FEFP money is based upon the number of fulltime equivalents (FTEs), a measure of student credit hours, that a school produces.
FAMU DRS produced fewer FTEs this year because of the subpar recruitment efforts led by Superintendent Ronald Holmes. Holmes failed to boost DRS’ student numbers enough to bring in the money required for this year’s budget. Enrollment only reached 544 this year after Holmes projected 600. The new DRS building is designed for 764 students.
As Rattler Nation reported, many FAMUans suspect that Trustee R.B. Holmes played a big role in getting his brother hired. There was no doubt that as one of the seven critical votes that James Ammons needed to become FAMU’s president, Holmes had the power to twist Ammons’ arm and make personal demands during the selection process.
Ever since R.B. Holmes threw his support behind Bill Jennings’ 2009 reelection bid for the BOT chairmanship, word has spread on campus that there’s an understanding that Holmes’ brother will not be summoned before the BOT to answer tough questions about the increasingly bad situation at DRS.
At the January meeting, trustees kept their mouths shut and refused to ask tough questions about the increasingly bad situation at DRS. No one requested that Ron Holmes appear at any future board meeting to personally account for what he's done to FAMU's K-12 school.
The BOT’s bailout vote and decision to shield Holmes from tough questioning shows that it thinks the current DRS superintendent should receive a blank check.
Isn't that the Holmes connection way. FAMU wake the h--- up!
ReplyDeleteWhen are going to stop sacrificing our children for our own selfish gains? Is this what Jesus would do, Rev. Holmes?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with 7:57 AM and 8:53 AM. RN also need to take a look at Mrs. Rivers, the Assistant Principal aka the one one that actually runs the show/henchman for Holmes at DRS...she is an even bigger thorn in the sides of the FAMU DRS faculty/staff/students/parents.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that the problems at the university has trickled down to the high school because of bad politics.Holmes and Ammons need to be removed.Ammons walks around with a blindfold on looking stupid.
ReplyDeleteThis shows the complete incompetence of our BOT. Do we have to keep picking from the same family to join our BOT. How successful are our BOT members? Other schools have fortune 500 CEO and execs.....we have 1. Maybe one day, we won't have a board dominated by the locals and get a more global overall successful BOT to help steer this university in the 21sst century. The fact that no one from the BOT has made any statements about the handling of DRS shows where their loyalty lies.
ReplyDeleteI would love to know one thing that Holmes brother has done well since he's been here? Anyone want to answer?
The joke is on us, people, 'cept dis sh*t ain't funny.
ReplyDeletethere is a sit in at Dr. Ammons Office next week who is joining in the effort
ReplyDeleteLeave Dr. Ammons the f*ck alone. The man has done a wonderful job at FAMU. Had it not been for Dr. Ammons leadership and his leadership team, we would be talking about how great FAMU was "when it was opened". We're off probation & fully accredited. Clean Audits People!
ReplyDeleteIn this case, some of the University's way could afford to trickle down to DRS. Maybe they'd help improve it.
ReplyDeleteNo one is sacrificing the children, the last time I check their parent's made a deliberate decision to place them at DRS.
The parents placed their children at DRS because FAMU promised to give them a quality education. It's up to FAMU's supporters to hold the university accountable for doing holding up its end of the bargain.
ReplyDeleteRon and R.B. must go!
11:13,
ReplyDeleteIf parents or students don't feel that they are getting a quality of education they are free to choose another school. That's the good thing about DRS, no one makes them go there. Parents and students have a choice.
Students do have a choice to attend the public school they are zoned for or another public charter or private school. Nobody is keeping them in a bad situation.
If enough parents/students opted out, that would wake some folks up!
It is not the parents' fault that DRS does not have the right leadership. They are the last ones who should be blamed for what is happening in the DRS adminstration.
ReplyDeleteWe as FAMUans should fight to remove the people who are denying the students of DRS the educational experience they deserve.
But parents are ultimately responsible for their child's education and allowing them to stay in such a bad situation when they don't have too is a disservice.
ReplyDeleteIt's ok to fight to change leadership, but in the meantime you are ruining your kids future.
Blaming the parents is nonsense. Everyone doesn't have the ability to just move next to an "A" public school.
ReplyDeleteThe solution to this problem is for FAMUans to get rid of the people in our university's leadership who do not care about DRS.
Moving next to an A might not be possible, but certainly the neighborhood public school is better than a "D" school.
ReplyDeleteWhen students are in a near failing school they don't have to be in, then it is the parents fault.
TO: 5/11/10, (3:26 pm, the second 3:26 pm blogger)--
ReplyDeleteUnless you work/teach at FAMU, you have absolutely NO idea what goes on there. A lot of the stuff that transpires at the university can't possibly be revealed on this thread. I'm here to tell you, it's more than a notion. I've taught there for twenty-one years, and I've seen much and heard aplenty.
So are you all saying FAMU DRS is not a priority of Dr. Ammons'?
ReplyDeleteShould this be addressed at the NAA meeting in Philly?
How's going?