Newport News Public Schools - Naomi Oliver - The Flying Classroom
Key Points
- No-bid $500,000 contract awarded to The Flying Classroom for a sparsely attended event
- Funds diverted from needed programs to support ongoing classroom supports
Investigation Leads
- Review Newport News Public Schools' financial records for the Title I Office
- Interview Director Naomi Oliver and other relevant officials
Evidence 5
Submit Evidence for HLM279
The Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) school board recently hired a New York-based outside consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive, district-wide efficiency and building utilization study.
The core details surrounding this decision highlight the exact concerns you raised:
The "Why": A Massive Transportation Burden
The primary driver behind this study is an ongoing, severe shortage of bus drivers, mixed with the city's unique geography.
NNPS officials explicitly named Magnet and Specialty Programs as one of the heaviest non-mandated operational burdens on their transportation system.
Because magnet programs pull students from all over Newport News rather than their assigned neighborhood zones, buses are forced to run incredibly long, overlapping cross-town routes. This has led to extended ride times for kids and severe logistical strain.
The Focus on Elementary Magnets
While the efficiency study is analyzing everything from staffing and building capacity to attendance zones, elementary school magnet programs are heavily in the spotlight for potential restructuring or elimination.
School Board Chair Terri Best and Chief Operations Officer Rusty Fairheart have noted that while no sudden changes will happen for the immediate upcoming school year, the division is actively evaluating the future of these elementary programs.
The district is even requiring parents registering for magnet programs to sign waivers acknowledging that the programs could face major changes or termination in the near future.
What Happens Next?
The consultants are analyzing data through the upcoming months, with results expected to be delivered to the school board for analysis in the fall. If the board decides to act on recommendations to cut or modify the magnet programs to fix the transportation crisis, those operational changes are projected to take effect by the 2027–2028 school year.
What I know is bureaucrats spend our money in ridiculous sums like this just so they can say it’s spent. Actually wasted. Remember the $500 hammer?
