Dear Editor,
I read with interest the June 25, 2025, article on the Clarkston Community Schools budget approval (Clarkston Community Schools Board of Education approves 2025-26 budget from the June 25, 2025 issue of The Clarkston News).
I’m quite aware that it is expensive to run a school district and the teachers are doing their best with available resources, however at the same time, the district has a duty to provide a reasonable return on investment.
In light of the essentially stagnant, sub-optimal reading and math scores over the past several years (COVID years aside), what return on investment have we received? What programs will be different to affect positive change in the reading and math scores? How should we hold the district accountable for spending $134,245,197 for educating our children?
I would love to have a dialogue on this issue!

Janet Downey
Clarkston, MI