During the 30-minute segment that was broadcast live from New York, Bobb outlined the difficult decisions he's made since taking over the district two years ago, including the decision to shutter 59 schools.
"It was difficult politically, hard on the community and challenging for parents and students," Bobb said, noting the district had about 167,000 students in 2000 and has about 85,000 today.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Michelle Rhee, schools chancellor for the District of Columbia, and Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, appeared along with Bobb on the show today.
Bobb is in New York as an invited participant in the NBC network's two-day national education summit, "Education Nation" on Monday through Tuesday in the rink space at Rockefeller Plaza. The event will include a series of panel sessions on the challenges of America's education system, the success stories and solutions.
The four education leaders tackled topics ranging from more rigorous evaluations for teachers to how to better implement accountability and reforms for the country's education system.
"In Detroit Public Schools we have new teacher contracts and a new teacher evaluation system put in place," Bobb said "We have to have an effective way in which we can evaluate teachers, not just teachers, but we have to look at the entire system."
Duncan noted that Detroit's schools have been a "disgrace" for "far too long." He praised Bobb's reforms.
"The children are desperately underserved," he said. "Detroit is going in a better direction thanks to Robert Bobb."
Bobb's efforts have aided the district in securing $500.5 million bond issue to build and modernize 18 schools.
Bobb was one of four panelists featured on NBC's "Meet the Press" as the network kicks off "Education Nation,
From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100926/SCHOOLS/9260316/Bobb-defends-Detroit-school-district-reforms-on--Meet-the-Press-#ixzz10fBHPSYH
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