04/30/2026
It has been 185 days since Dr Askew’s 100 Day Turnaround Plan was presented for a vote to the Dothan City School Board.
There are about 11 school days left in the 2025-2026 School Year.
Struggling students are still struggling.
Concerned Citizens,
I urge you to pay close attention to the actions of the Dothan City School Board in their Special Call Meeting last week, April 20, because the decisions made demand real scrutiny.
The board approved hiring five literacy turnaround specialists at $125,000 each, totaling $625,000 per year. Each specialist will serve only one school. So that’s is just 5 schools! The literacy specialists must be identified, then advance through a hiring process. That is not likely happen in the 11 days left in this school year.
Let’s be clear about what took place: a costly decision was made that provides limited reach—especially when compared to what was previously rejected in the 100 Day Plan.
Just a few months ago, the board voted down Dr Askew’s 100 Day Plan that would have provided a proven literacy expert to support ten of our most struggling schools for $300,000 annually. This wasn’t a vague idea—it included verified references and a documented history of turning around entire school systems.
Keep in mind, this Board complained about the price tag and asked all kinds of questions related to costs.
Now, this same board voted to spend more than DOUBLE the cost to serve HALF the number of schools—with positions that haven’t even been filled yet. Also keep in mind this same board has rejected job descriptions Dr Askew has recommended for approval. NOT the hiring of the individuals, just the job descriptions themselves.
If this current approach were expanded to cover ten schools, the cost would jump to $1.25 million annually. That’s nearly a $1 million difference compared to the proposal they chose to reject. That bears repeating - this proposal would cost an additional $1 million dollars to cover the number of schools in Dr Askew’s 100 Day Plan!
So the question we, the public, should be asking is simple: why was a proven, more cost-effective solution dismissed, only to move forward with a significantly more expensive and less comprehensive plan? Can this decision be considered prudent and financially responsible?
This isn’t just about differing opinions. It’s about decision-making that lacks clear justification, consistency, and transparency.
Our students cannot afford inefficient and costly choices. Our taxpayers deserve responsible stewardship. And our community should expect better.
If we want stronger outcomes for our schools, we cannot sit on the sidelines. We must stay informed. Ask questions. Demand answers. Hold leadership accountable.
We must stay involved. We must stay vigilant. We must let them know we are watching. And we must demand better for our children.
I still support The 100 Day Plan!
Letetia Daniels Jackson
