Lifelong Hamtramck resident Tazia Miah fills vacant seat on Hamtramck Public Schools board  

By Nargis Rahman

Tazia Miah is Hamtramck Public Schools newest board member. 

Miah is replacing Daz’Shavon Hall, who recently stepped down. Hall was first appointed to the board in 2020. She was reelected for a six-year term. Hall told the Hamtramck Review she is moving out of the district. 

Abdulmalik Algahaim, president of the Hamtramck Public Schools Board of Education, says in a Facebook post that Miah will fill the seat as Board of Trustee until December 2026.

“We look forward to the insight, dedication, and community-centered leadership she will bring to our work. Her commitment to supporting students, families, and staff will strengthen our shared mission and help guide our district toward continued excellence,” he says.

Seven candidates applied for the job.  

Giving back to the community 

Tazia Miah is a lifelong Hamtramck resident who attended Hamtramck Public Schools. She graduated from Hamtramck High School in 2015.

“Growing up here shaped how I see education, especially the reality that students can experience the same school system very differently depending on their circumstances and support systems,” she says. 

Miah has a Bachelor of Science in International Studies with a focus on Global Environment and Health from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, and a Master of Science in Basic Medical Sciences from Wayne State University School of Medicine. 

Miah works as a Research & Evaluation Associate with Lift Every Voice – Evaluation Research and Strategy and support as a Research Technician with the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute. 

Miah says it’s important to have a supportive school system. 

“I work on projects that examine how systems and services affect outcomes for individuals, families, communities and organizations, including how educational experiences connect to long-term opportunities,” she shares with Yemeni American News. 

She says her work “focuses on connecting experiences from students, families, and communities to decision-making around programs, resources, and long-term priorities.”

That includes experience as a community-focused researcher and evaluator with experience supporting education, disability, workforce, and public health efforts at the local, state and national level. 

Creating a long-lasting future for students  

Miah says she cares about how decisions are made in school to support students’ long-term opportunities through a supportive learning environment. 

“I’ve also seen that there can be a disconnect between how systems understand what is happening and how people experience it,” she shares.

“I wanted to serve in a role where I could help bridge that gap and make sure those perspectives are part of how the Hamtramck Education Board decisions are made,” she explains. 

Miah says she aims to strengthen the communication and engagement between the district, teachers, families and, “make sure student experiences are reflected in decision-making.” 

She hopes to focus on connecting financial and policy decisions to long-term student outcomes and a supportive teaching environment, “especially at a time when the district is facing real financial and structural challenges.”

“I also hope to help create a space where community input is not only heard but meaningfully included in decisions and to build trust through transparency and accountability,” she says.

Miah says she has seen firsthand how students have different experiences in the education system depending on their support systems. 

“I’ve worked across different spaces with students, families, local leaders, and funders and a consistent theme is that people often experience systems differently than they are described,” she says.

Miah says her work helps uplift voices and experiences. 

She wants to inspire future generations. 

“I am also excited that future students like me, and especially my identities, can have a seat at the table to support improving Hamtramck school systems. I’m honored to serve in this role and to bring both my experience as a Hamtramck graduate and my professional background into service of the district,” she says.

Miah’s seat will be up for election in November 2026, along with Moortadha Obaid, and Regan Watson. The seats are all at-large seats for six-year terms.