Eastern Michigan University to Withdraw from Education Achievement Authority

s if the Flint water crisis and Detroit Public Schools protests weren't enough, Gov. Rick Snyder has yet another issue on his plate. The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents voted unanimously to terminate its involvement in the Education Achievement Authority, an agreement between EMU, DPS and the state to help improve performance in low achieving schools.

"From the beginning, Eastern's objective in this effort has been focused on helping the students of Detroit and trying to improve educational outcomes," Chair of the EMU Board of Regents Mike Morris says in a press release. "We are taking this action today because it is the right thing to do for our University. It is increasingly clear that the anticipated legislation in Lansing to formally address this matter, and end the EAA, is now moving forward."

The EAA works with 15 Detroit schools including Mumford High School, Henry Ford High School and Burns Elementary-Middle School. As of now, there's no word about how these schools will be affected individually with the elimination of the EAA.

"There is no impact within the next year and a half," EAA spokesman Robert Guttersohn tells the Detroit Free Press.

The EAA schools will not feel the affects right away because of the agreement established. EMU's withdrawal will not be official until June 30, 2017.

"Given the legislative efforts under way, we fully expect the EAA to cease to exist well before that time," Morris also says in the press release. 

Though not in an official capacity, Morris says EMU still plans to continue to work with Detroit schools and students.

"Eastern Michigan University has a long-standing history of supporting teachers and students in Detroit, across the state and nation," he adds.

"As a nationally recognized leader in developing teachers and school administrators, this has been and will continue to be an important mission of the University."