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