DPS appoints former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor as Director of expanded Charter Schools Office

DETROIT - Emergency Manager Roy S. Roberts today announced the appointment of Doug Ross, former U.S Assistant Secretary of Labor and founder and CEO of New Urban Learning and the University Prep charter schools, to head Detroit Public Schools’ expanded Charter Schools Office.

As the Director of Charter Schools, Ross will lead the DPS charter authorizing office to ensure that all DPS charters are high performing schools. The district is expanding the number of DPS-authorized charter schools from nine to 14 for the fall. The University Prep schools are among the highest performing charters in the City of Detroit. Among Ross’ first tasks will be opening an expanded oversight office and recommending staffing and contractual services levels needed to ensure high quality oversight of an additional number of schools.

“Roy Roberts and Governor Snyder have made a commitment to ensure that every Detroit child has the opportunity to attend a high performing school that leads to graduation and college. This is a chance for me to help them reach their goal,” Ross said.

Following an extremely rigorous bidding and community vetting process, conducted in partnership with the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, DPS recently announced the selection of three charter operators with proven records of raising student achievement to run five new charter schools beginning in fall 2011 under the district Renaissance 2012 plan. Ross will also oversee the phase II Request for Proposals for the Renaissance Plan.

“Adding Mr. Ross to our team is a significant statement on keeping our commitment to creating a high quality system of schools responsive to parent needs and an equally significant testament to the future of Detroit Public Schools, in both cases loud and clear,” Roberts said. “Mr. Ross will lead efforts to make certain that DPS-authorized charters will be subject to the most stringent oversight aimed at raising and keeping these schools at the top of the list of high performing schools in the City of Detroit.”

Ross will report directly to the Emergency Manager. He officially will start in his role after Labor Day, at which point he will serve as a transition consultant for New Urban Learning Schools. He will remain on the Board for New Urban Learning. Through Labor Day, he will be available to DPS for unpaid consulting.

Ross has extensive experience in education and charter schools. In 1999, he founded and began serving as CEO of New Urban Learning and the University Prep Schools. He has been a candidate for Governor, U.S Assistant Secretary of Labor from 1993-95 and a lecturer at the Ford School of Public Policy at U of M from 1991 – 2003. From 1989 – 1991, he served as President of Corporation for Enterprise Development, and from 1984 – 1989, he was Director of the Michigan Department of Commerce. Prior to that, he was the Economic Analyst for ABC TV affiliate in Detroit. Ross served as a Michigan State Senator from 1978 – 1982. Ross is also a former high school teacher in the Detroit Public Schools.

Ross has a Masters in Public Policy from Princeton University and has done Graduate work in Economics at the London School of Economics. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Michigan.