Board hears concerns about Bussey Center as district cites staffing, seeks Head Start waiver

Southfield Public Schools trustees heard a detailed report on the Bussey Center for Early Childhood Education on Jan. 14, 2025, as district staff described open classroom slots caused by staffing shortages and sought board approval to revise a Head Start non‑federal match waiver for 2023–24.

Why it matters: The Bussey Center serves preschool‑age children in federally funded Head Start and state preschool (GSRP) programs. Enrollment shortfalls and staff vacancies directly affect how many children can be served and whether the district meets federal grant requirements.

At the meeting, Dr. Thompson, who presented the Bussey Center report, said December 2024 enrollment included 14 early Head Start students (with 2 vacancies and 7 on a waiting list), 81 Head Start students (47 vacancies) and 63.5 GSRP slots filled (16.5 unfilled). Average daily attendance for December was 84 percent. The center reported 4,593 meals served for the reporting month and in‑kind contributions of $134,168.16 for the July–December 2024 period.

District and Bussey staff told trustees the principal reason classrooms were not filled was a lack of hired, cleared personnel. "The why is the staffing piece," Superintendent Jennifer Green said in response to trustees' questions about persistent vacancies and a recent resignation. Doctor Thompson and other presenters described four CDA/assistant teacher vacancies: two candidates in the hiring process, one still completing onboarding checks, and one who declined an offer for another position. Bussey leaders said they were prioritizing hiring assistant teachers next and that a recently awarded Head Start enrollment reduction grant would allow the district to increase salaries and recruit more qualified candidates.

During public comment, longtime community member Betty Robinson urged trustees to inspect Bussey in person and described serious concerns from parents. "It's a train wreck," Robinson said, alleging classroom management and supervision problems and adding parents had contacted the Office of Head Start with complaints. Superintendent Green said she would follow up with Bussey leadership and noted the district is working to fill vacancies and stabilize classrooms.

Trustees pressed for more data and timelines. Board members asked for comparative readiness and enrollment trends, and Dr. Thompson and district staff agreed to provide additional Core Advantage data on early literacy and to share more detailed updates on how the recently awarded enrollment grant will change Bussey’s vacancy counts next month.

Action: The board voted unanimously to approve a revised non‑federal match waiver for the 2023–24 Head Start grant; Superintendent Green said the revised waiver amount increased to $93,643. The board vote was recorded as unanimous and the tally submitted with the meeting materials.

What comes next: Bussey leadership and district HR staff said they will accelerate hiring for assistant teachers, provide more frequent status updates to trustees, and deliver the requested early literacy readiness comparisons in the next reporting cycle. Public commenters and trustees asked the district to follow up on allegations raised during public comment and to share corrective steps if the Office of Head Start requires action.

Sources and quotes in this report come from the Jan. 14, 2025 board meeting presentation and the public comment period. Direct quotes come from those who spoke during the meeting, including Superintendent Jennifer Green and public commenter Betty Robinson.