MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Education announced Friday the New Paradigm for Education management organization will remain in effect for the rest of the school year for the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System.
The department says this will assure students in the district can finish out the school year, while teachers and staff will keep their jobs.
“A transition plan is being finalized to make sure Muskegon Heights students continue to receive instruction and school staff continue to get paid and have benefits,” State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice said. “This transition plan between the PSA and New Paradigm will help facilitate as smooth and as effective a transition from one education management organization to another and from one local superintendent to another – all in the best interest of the students and school staff.”
This comes after a disagreement between the charter school board and New Paradigm, its education management organization.
The two could not agree on how to operate the district this year; however, New Paradigm employs the teachers, so an early end to the contract would likely affect the students’ ability to learn.
READ MORE: Muskegon Heights PSA board moves to fire school’s management company
Leadership of the district board, the charter school board, New Paradigm, the intermediate school district and the Michigan Department of Education met Friday to come up with a transition plan for the rest of the 2022-23 school year.
They decided the charter school district’s contract with New Paradigm would be a one-year agreement, instead of a five-year agreement.
New Paradigm will continue to provide many of the services under the contract related to the core functions of the students’ education.
However, the PSA would be responsible for some of the services which New Paradigm provided previously.
“We appreciate New Paradigm’s professionalism to remain until the end of the school year. It’s important to us to have a stable educational environment through the ed of the school year to make sure there is a smooth transition and no disruption for students and staff,” Dr. Rose Hunt, Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System board president, said.
FOX 17 reached out to the New Paradigm for Education and received the following statement:
“In the best interest of the students and families, we have made the decision to move forward.”
The charter school district now is working to appoint an interim superintendent and started the search for both a permanent superintendent and new education management organization.
District leaders hope to finish the process in the next few months.
