I have been a Ferndale resident for over 30 years. All 3 of my children attended Ferndale schools K-12 and now my grandchildren attend FPS.
I worked for FPS staring as a lunch aide and ending my tenure as a Special Education Teacher Consultant and Transition Coordinator. My current employment is with Oakland Schools as. Special Education Consultant. My two passions are education and the Ferndale community and I believe I will serve on the FPS Board with distinction.
To recruit and retain talented staff. To make sure our district is prepared for the PA 146 (k-12 literacy and dyslexia law) and its requirements. To ensure that the district continues to provide programs/classes that are relevant to students needs and wants while within the framework of MDE curriculum guidelines. To make sure all our school district community members feel heard and valued.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
My name is Luke A. Miller, and I have spent more than 20 years working in education, nonprofit organizations, and community leadership. I have served students, families, and communities through roles in education, administration, technology, facilities, operations, and workforce development.
I currently serve in leadership at Detroit Cristo Rey High School, overseeing facilities, technology, budgets, vendors, capital projects, events, and partnerships that support students and staff.
I am running for the Ferndale Public Schools Board because I believe deeply in the power of education to create opportunity. I believe every student is capable of success, but students do not all need the same tools or support, or reach milestones at the same time. I want to help ensure every student has what they need to succeed.
I would bring practical leadership, strong listening skills, problem-solving experience, and a collaborative approach to the Board.
Student Achievement & Opportunity: Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, but students do not all need the same support or reach milestones at the same time. I would support using data to identify needs, strengthening academic support, and expanding career, technical, arts, athletic, and workforce opportunities, highlight local businesses .
Financial Stewardship: Strong schools require responsible financial management. I would use my experience managing budgets, grants, vendors, and capital projects to support transparent budgeting, long-term planning, pursuing outside funding, and ensuring resources are focused on student needs.
Safe, Well-Maintained Schools: Students and staff deserve safe, welcoming, well-maintained schools. I would support proactive maintenance, responsible facilities planning, appropriate security measures, and long-term capital planning so we address problems before they become emergencies while protecting the district's resources.
I am an organizer, policy advocate, lawyer, lifelong Michigander, and proud product of our public school system as a graduate of West Bloomfield Schools and Michigan State University. I currently serve on the Ferndale School Board, an appointed position I've held since October 2025.
Professionally, I've spent nearly two decades in political and labor organizing, and am the co-executive director of the Michigan Education Justice Coalition, where I help lead a statewide organization that advocates along staff, community, labor, parents, and students for fully and fairly funded schools that provide the highest quality education to every student. Most recently I served as the Director of Politics & Policy at United for Respect, where I advocated for better working conditions for our country's over 5 million retail and warehouse workers. I previously worked for the Bernie Sanders 2020 Presidential Campaign, the Michigan Nurses Association, and the Communications Workers of America.
1. Fight for expanded progressive revenue for the entire k-12 system and resist any effort to divert public dollars to privatization, including opposing the Trump Voucher Scheme and actively pressuring our leaders to opt out.
2. Expand funding, programming, and improve administration of special education services.
3. Push back against big tech and surveillance in schools by resisting policing and tech/AI creep into the classroom, and setting strong board level policy on screen time and appropriate technology use.
All of these priorities require organizing stakeholders from across the community, from administrators to parents to teachers to students to broader community members. If we want to change the priorities of the district and shape funding allocation, we must directly engage the community in the conversation and encourage the use of public comment to organize for our positions.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
