The Flint Community Schools Board approved personnel recommendations Nov. 18 that included creating a Title I-funded school improvement coordinator position to support Doyle school.

Dr. Natoya Coleman, chief innovation officer, described the role as a school improvement coordinator who would “support the academic work in the district” by reviewing school data, providing teacher professional development, facilitating professional learning communities and coaching teachers and principals. Coleman said Doyle’s enrollment is about 380 students and that the coordinator would help implement Title I interventions.

Trustees raised concerns about the district’s staffing and budget priorities as enrollment declines. “I don’t understand the overall picture here and what we’re doing with some school population going down,” said Vice President McIntyre, who questioned whether adding another administrator was the right step. Superintendent Jones and other trustees responded that Title I funds can finance certain positions and that the district still needs certified teachers and interventionists; Jones noted the district must spend allocated Title I funds or risk future reductions.

Multiple trustees supported the hire as an equity and instructional-support measure, while asking the superintendent to provide follow-up data and evaluation tools to measure the position’s effectiveness. The board approved the personnel recommendations by roll call vote, 7–0.

What happens next: the position will be staffed using approved Title I funding; the board requested additional data on certified staffing percentages and metrics to evaluate the role’s impact.