| Founded in 1842, the Detroit Schools are one of the | | | | showed a higher proficiency in reading than in math. |
| nation's largest public school systems. The Detroit | | | | The study examined 5 years of test, race, poverty |
| Schools' system is a district of choice, and is open to | | | | and other student data. Debate over charter schools is |
| children who live outside the city. The district offers | | | | hot. Proponents of the schools, such as Daniel L. |
| numerous academic and career/ technical programs. | | | | Quisenberry, president of the Michigan Association of |
| Among these programs are: the Foreign Language | | | | Public School Academies, said that "students make |
| Immersion and Cultural Studies School (the only one of | | | | significant progress academically once they enroll in a |
| its kind in Michigan), Davis Aerospace (one of only a | | | | charter school." Detroit Schools' District Interim |
| handful of schools in the country where students can | | | | Superintendent Lamont Satchel recently issued the |
| obtain a pilot's license), multiple award winning | | | | following statement regarding a proposal to bring 25 |
| performing arts high schools, Detroit School of the | | | | new charter schools to Detroit: "The Detroit Public |
| Arts, and Crockett Technical High School (is a digital | | | | Schools system remains the best educational option |
| technology school). The Detroit Schools consist of 232 | | | | for children in this city. We offer a richer variety of |
| schools; 147 elementary schools, 31 middle schools, 28 | | | | academic and extra-curricular options than both |
| high schools, 12 special education schools, 10 adult | | | | charter schools and neighboring public school systems. |
| education schools, and 4 vocational education schools. | | | | Above all, we vastly outperform charter schools in the |
| Approximately 143,490 students attend Detroit | | | | city on standardized examinations." The rich variety of |
| Schools. Student/teacher ratio in grades K-3 is 17:1. | | | | Detroit Schools includes many different programs, |
| Detroit Schools have a "minority-majority" population; | | | | ranging from performing arts, technology, media arts, |
| 91% of students are African American, 5% are | | | | commerce, finance, and, aviation. Another issue that |
| Hispanic, 3% are White, 0.8% are Asian, and 0.3% are | | | | Detroit Schools are facing is a shrinking student |
| Native American. The Detroit Schools cover a | | | | population. Over the past 10 years, the district has lost |
| geographical area that is 138.8 square miles and | | | | more than 60,000 students. Much of this loss is due to |
| serves a city population of 951,270 people. Several | | | | the city's declining population and shrinking birth rates, |
| issues are currently being debated in the Detroit | | | | but a lot has been attributed to "poaching" from |
| Schools. Among them are student achievement, as | | | | charter schools and neighboring public school systems. |
| measured by the Michigan Educations Assessment | | | | "This is a critical year for the [Detroit School] District," |
| Program, or MEAP, debate over lifting the Charter | | | | said Lamont Satchel, Esq. "While we continue to face |
| School cap, and shrinking student populations. A recent | | | | declining enrollment we must also confront the |
| study on how the Detroit Schools' students are doing | | | | possibility of cuts in per pupil funding. ...But we know |
| show that students have improved their reading and | | | | that these problems are not insurmountable. We can |
| math scores since a federal program (No Child Left | | | | overcome these challenges. And we shall overcome." |
| Behind) began pushing for academic progress. The | | | | Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, |
| report found that students' performance in Detroit | | | | providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and |
| Schools increased in reading and math at both the | | | | private K-12 schools. |
| elementary and middle school levels. More students | | | | |