FOIA Requests and Responses
Every document referenced below was obtained through lawful FOIA requests to Michigan state agencies. The requests themselves and the responses are public records.
FOIA Request #1 — MDE (September 21, 2026)
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agency | Michigan Department of Education |
| Date Sent | September 21, 2026 |
| Response Date | September 25, 2026 (4 business days) |
| Coordinator | David Head, MDE FOIA Coordinator |
| Status | ✅ Responded — 20 files received |
What Was Requested
All records related to Brian Roderick Banks’s administrator certificate, including:
- Application and supporting documents
- Credentialing investigation records
- MOECS records
- Any complaints or investigations
What Was Received — 20 Files
Smoking-Gun Documents:
| Document | What It Reveals |
|---|---|
| Investigation Letter for Banks | MDE formally investigated Banks’s credentials — sent to Board President Wells-Stallworth |
| MOECS Admin Permit — HOLD | Application #590606, submitted 02/09/2022, Status: HOLD — no issued permits |
| REP — Credential BLANK | PIC 287338, Credential column empty — Banks has never held a Michigan teaching credential |
| EEM Entity Contact | Entity #82747 — Nicole Wells-Stallworth listed as Board President since 06/16/2014 |
Financial Audits (FY2017–FY2025):
Nine consecutive fiscal year audits for Entity #82747 (MacDowell Preparatory Academy), audited by Alan C. Young & Associates. Key findings:
| Year | Revenue | Purpose Group Extraction | Math Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$4.9M | $4,285,201 (72.67%) | 3% |
| FY2024 | — | — | — |
| FY2023 | — | $1.7M O&M on $587K budget | — |
The complete nine-year audit trail shows the financial trajectory from pre-Banks management through the current extraction model.
FOIA Supplement — MDE (September 30, 2026)
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agency | Michigan Department of Education |
| Date Received | September 30, 2026 |
| Coordinator | David Head |
| Status | ✅ Received — proactive supplement |
What Was Received
David Head proactively sent the TCR 22-12 Final Decision and Order — the administrator certificate hearing decision — along with a cover letter. This was not part of the original FOIA request; the coordinator sent it voluntarily.
TCR 22-12 — Final Decision and Order (August 4, 2023)
State Superintendent Michael F. Rice issued Banks’s administrator certificate with seven (7) restrictive conditions:
| Condition | Requirement |
|---|---|
| #1 | Background check every 3 years |
| #2 | Report criminal charges to MDE within 3 business days |
| #3 | Shall not handle cash |
| #4 | Shall not be the sole person to approve expenditures |
| #5 | Complete 6 credit hours professional development annually |
| #6 | Submit to compliance verification every 6 months |
| #7 | Board verifies compliance every 6 months (signed by Board Chair) |
Key details the FOIA revealed:
- The Department of Education objected to reinstatement
- The Attorney General argued against the certificate
- The Administrative Law Judge recommended no conditions (rubber stamp)
- Superintendent Rice overruled the ALJ and added the 7 conditions
- The compliance verifications under Condition #7 are signed by Nicole Wells-Stallworth — MacDowell Board Chair and former CEO of The Children’s Center of Wayne County
The note that matters: David Head signaled that compliance verification documents exist but were not part of the original request. This prompted FOIA Request #2.
FOIA Request #2 — MDE (October 1, 2026)
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agency | Michigan Department of Education |
| Date Sent | October 1, 2026 |
| Due Date | October 8, 2026 |
| Coordinator | David Head |
| Status | ⏳ Pending — awaiting response |
What Was Requested
- Condition #7 compliance verifications — the documents signed by Wells-Stallworth every six months attesting to Banks’s compliance
- Board correspondence related to Banks’s certificate
- The Management Agreement between Purpose Group LLC and PCA (the document containing the false §5.2 “No Related Parties” representation)
- DPSCD authorization records for Purpose Charter Academy
Why This Matters
The Condition #7 verifications are signed by the same person (Wells-Stallworth) who:
- Served as CEO of The Children’s Center of Wayne County
- Serves as Board Chair of MacDowell Preparatory Academy
- Signs off on compliance for a man with 8 felony convictions
If the verifications attest that Banks is complying with Condition #4 (“shall not be the sole person to approve expenditures”), but Banks is the sole member of Purpose Group LLC through which 72.67% of revenue flows — the verifications may be inaccurate.
FOIA Request #3 — MOAHR (October 1, 2026)
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agency | Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules (MOAHR) |
| Date Sent | October 1, 2026 |
| Due Date | October 8, 2026 |
| Status | ⏳ Pending — awaiting response |
What Was Requested
The complete TCR 22-12 hearing record:
- Full hearing transcript
- Administrative Law Judge proposal for decision
- Attorney General’s exceptions and responses
- All exhibits admitted at hearing
- Procedural orders and case docket
Why This Matters
The hearing transcript will reveal:
- What Banks said under oath about his criminal history
- What his witnesses (Shulman, Leno, Meihn) testified to
- How the Attorney General argued against the certificate
- What evidence was presented to support or oppose reinstatement
- Cross-examination that tested the witnesses’ qualifications
GPW FOIA (Pending)
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agency | Grosse Pointe Woods Police Department |
| Subject | Report #26-7615 (Banks’s complaint against Kevin Mok) |
| Status | 📋 To be submitted |
Banks filed a police report (#26-7615) against Kevin Mok on September 28, 2026, concerning an anniversary card sent via U.S. Mail. The full report has not yet been obtained. A FOIA request will be submitted to obtain the complete report, including Banks’s statements to officers and any attachments.
Commendation
On October 1, 2026, Kevin Mok sent a commendation to the MDE Office of the Superintendent (Dr. Glenn Maleyko) regarding the FOIA team’s exemplary service, and a personal thank you to David Head.
Government agencies that respond promptly, completely, and professionally to FOIA requests are performing a vital public service. This investigation exists because public records exist.
Every FOIA request and response is preserved in the evidence repository. Responses will be posted as received.