Detroit Public Schools

Detroit Public Schools
Type and location
Type	Public
Country	USA
Location	Detroit, Michigan
District Info
Budget	US$ 1,237,494,733 (2011-12)[1]
Students and staff
Students	65,971 (2011-12)
Staff	15,535 (2007)[2]
Other information
Number of Schools	134 (2011-12)[1]
Teachers Unions	Detroit Federation of Teachers[3]
Website	http://detroitk12.org/

Detroit Public Schools (DPS) is a school district that covers all of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The student population of the Detroit Public Schools is about 65,971 (2011–12), which is down about 9.7% from the previous school year.^[4][5] Detroit Public Charter Schools educate an additional 56,000 students for a combined total of approximately 122,000.^[4] The district has its headquarters in the Fisher Building of the New Center area of Detroit.^[6][7]

History

Detroit Public Schools has grown in area with the city. Some of the schools in the district began as part of other school districts, such as various Greenfield Township and Springwells Township districts before these districts were made part of the Detroit Public Schools as the areas they covered were annexed to the city of Detroit.^{[citation needed]}

In 1917, the board membership was changed from ward-based to at-large elections.^{[citation needed]}

In 1999, the Michigan Legislature removed the locally elected board of education amid allegations of mismanagement and replaced it with a reform board appointed by the mayor and governor. The elected board of education returned following a city referendum in 2005. The first election of the new eleven member board of education, with four chosen at-large and seven by district, occurred on November 8, 2005.^{[citation needed]}

Before the district occupied the Fisher Building, its headquarters were in the Macabees Building in Midtown Detroit.^[8] The district paid the owner of the Fisher Building $24.1 million in 2002 so the district could occupy five floors in the building. This was more than the owner of the Fisher Building paid to buy the building one year earlier.^[9] The district's emergency financial manager, Robert Bobb, said in 2009 that he was investigating how the school board agreed to the lease in the Fisher Building.^[10] Reginald Turner, who served on Detroit School Board from 2000 to 2003, said that he was told that it would be less expensive to occupy the Fisher Building than it would to remodel the Maccabees Building.^[11]

Student achievement

Cass Technical High School.

Detroit School of Arts.

In 2007, State officials report a 68 percent graduation rate for Detroit's public schools, adjusted for those who change schools.^[12][13][14] In 2008, it was reported that the high school graduation rate was 24.9 percent.^[15] On February 14, 2009, the Detroit Free Press reported that United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan had concern over the quality of education Detroit children are receiving. A spokesman later stated that Duncan had no specific plans for Detroit.

Cass Technical High School, Renaissance High School, and Detroit School of Arts rank highly both statewide and nationallly. However, at many schools some students still do not meet adequate yearly academic progress requirements.^[16] Students that fail to meet those requirements struggle in both language and mathematics.

A team of DPS students from Western International High School and Murray-Wright High School took second place out of 552 teams from 25 countries in a robotics competition in Atlanta, Georgia. DPS students, most notably Bates Academy students, did well at the 42nd annual Academic Olympics in Eatonton, Georgia, winning many honors. The Duffield elementary and middle school chess teams both finished first in the 2007 statewide competition, and performed well in the national competition. At a previous Annual National Academic Games Olympics, DPS students won 25 individual and 20 team first place awards.^[17][18]

Detroit Charter Schools

Detroit has public charter school system with about 54,000 Detroit students (2009–10).^[7] When charter school and Detroit Public Schools enrollments are combined, the total number of children in public schools in Detroit has increased. If growth trends continue, Detroit's charter schools enrollment will outpace the Detroit Public Schools by 2015.^[7]

Officials at the Detroit Public Schools and Detroit Federation of Teachers oppose the expansion of charter schools. A previous plan for 15 new charter high schools was scuttled. Philanthropist Bob Thompson is backing a new University Preparatory Academy High School.

University Preparatory Academy are elementary, middle, and high schools which have shown test scores above averages for Detroit Public Schools.^[19] Their goal is to graduate 90% of incoming freshmen and have 90% of those graduates go on to college. They intend to meet that goal for the first time this year. They pay for ACT college admissions tests, there are no bells between classes. They lease a building from philanthropist Bob Thompson for $1.00 per year on condition of meeting student performance goals. However, these scores are below high performing DHS schools with selective enrollment such as Bates Academy, Burton International and Renaissance High School.^[7]

Follow up studies of the University Prep Academy class of 2007 shows that at least 90% went on to college, 83% of those who attended a four year university re-enrolled for a second year, and 57% of those who attended a two year college re-enrolled for a second year, beating national re-enrollment averages of 73% and 45% respectively.^[7]

There have been significant calls for the Detroit Public Schools to cooperate more with charters, including renting unused schools to charters. In May 2008, the DPS board renewed contracts with six charter schools for two years. DPS leases some closed school buildings to charter school operators.^[20]

Leadership

DPS is headquartered in the Fisher Building in New Center

Superintendent

In March 2007, the DPS board removed Superintendent William Coleman, replaced him with Dr. Connie Calloway as its new superintendent on a $280,000 yearly salary, and made Lamont Satchel as Interim Superintendent. Coleman was still paid for the remainder of his contract.^{[21][dead link]}

Dr. Connie Calloway was removed after 18 months after accusations by the school board that she was behaving unprofessionally and exercising poor judgment. She is fighting that decision.^{[22][dead link]}

Emergency Financial Manager

Currently all financial matters are under the sole control of Robert Bobb who was appointed by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm in 2009.^[23]

Board of education

Board Member	District
Carla Scott	District 1
Elena Herrada	District 2
Annie Carter	District 3
Tyrone Winfrey (Vice President)	District 4
Anthony Adams (President)	District 5
Terry Catchings	District 6
Ron Cleveland	District 7
David Murray	At large
Ida Short	At large
Carol Banks	At large
LaMar Lemmons	At large

^[24]

Finances

On December 8, 2008, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan determined the district's inability to manage its finances and declared a financial emergency.^[23] Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed Robert Bobb as the emergency financial manager of Detroit Public Schools in 2009 to manage the school districts finances. His contract dictates a one year tenure. The school district began selling 27 previously closed school buildings. On March 3, 2009, Bobb initially estimated that DPS's current year deficit would be no less than $150M, requested early payments from the state to meet payroll, and indicated that more additional outside auditors will be required to properly assess the district's financial situation.

In March 2009, Robert Bobb declared that the school district had 150 million dollar budget deficit, only including debts that he was aware of. Twenty million dollars of that money is owed to the district's pension system.^[25] The DPS school board complained in that same year that the then deficit of $65 million for 2007-2008 school year was caused by accounting irregularities, including fringe benefits and paying teachers off of the books. Much of the deficit was discovered by outside auditors invited by former district Superintendent Connie Calloway in 2008.^[26]

The 2008-2009 edition of the Michigan Department of Education's ranking of Michigan Public School financial data showed the mean Detroit Public School teacher's salary stood at $71,031, more than 14% higher than the state average of $62,237^[27]. During the same period, the Michigan cohort graduation rate was 80.1%, while Detroit Public Schools' cohort graduation rate was 67.39%, 16% lower than the state average^[28].

Employee relations

On March 22, 2006, some teachers staged a "blackboard flu."^[29]

In the 2006 contract negotiations, the district sought $88 million in reductions, but the Detroit Federation of Teachers (representing 7,000 teachers and 2,500 other employees) and other unions fought further pay cuts, and the district threatened to lay off 2,000 union employees in response. On August 22, thousands of DPS teachers protested further pay cuts, and demanded a pay increase. A district spokesman said that pay cuts for teachers was a necessary requirement for balancing the school's budget. The teachers agreed to go on strike, closing school for three days and shortening the first day of school.

The Detroit Federation of Teachers requested a 15.6% pay increase for the highest income teachers, pointing out that they're making less than their counterparts in the suburbs. The median salary for the Detroit Public Schools is $41,007, while the median teacher pay for Michigan overall is $57,958. Teachers concessions were still below the state mandated deficit reduction plan, and a prolonged strike was averted primarily because both sides recognized the threat of more children leaving the DPS for charter schools. In an appeal to teachers who are considering a wildcat strike, Detroit Superintendent William F. Coleman III argued that a strike would encourage more children to leave the district for suburban schools of choice and charter schools, exacerbating problems and forcing more layoffs and program cuts. Some blame the state takeover for the strike.^[30] The teachers went on strike.^[31] County Circuit Court Judge Susan Borman ruled on September 8, 2006 that the teachers must return to work the following week.

On November 9, 2006, DPS laid off 907 lunch aides and 713 teachers. Aides are union members of the Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals, and typically make near minimum wages. A recent minimum wage hike was a factor in the layoffs.^[32]

DPS pays 14.55% of each employee's salary to the Office of Retirement Services to cover the costs of participation in the Michigan Public School Employees' Retirement System.^[33]

In 1999 Detroit teachers staged a wildcat strike, using the slogan "Books, Supplies, Lower Class Size!"

School dress code

Detroit Public Schools created a district-wide uniform dress code for students effective on May 11, 2006 for all students in grades Kindergarten through 12.^[34] This includes mandatory identification badges. Parents may opt their children out of the dress code for medical, religious, or financial reasons.^[35] Several schools, including Bates Academy and Malcolm X Academy, had uniform dress codes before the start of the district-wide policy.^[36]

Digital programs

On February 4, 2010, the Detroit Public Schools announced that it wants to digitize all its teaching and learning as part of the comprehensive plan to accelerate student achievement, within five years.^[37] Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the district's chief academic and accountability auditor, said the district is investing in high-tech tools to equip all 6th- to 12th-graders with computers and digitize all curriculum, textbooks and lessons plans district-wide. The $15 million product is part of a $40 million contract with Boston's Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which marks the largest single deal for the book publisher.

The first step will be interactive Web-based portal called Learning Village that would be fully functioning by fall 2010. The Learning Village program will give DPS the ability to digitize its textbooks, curriculum and lesson plans. Teachers will have access to students' assessment results and prospective lesson plans to more quickly diagnosis struggling students. Parents can log in to the system to track their students' progress, print additional worksheets and view cumulative test results for a teacher's entire class. The purpose of the Learning Village tool is to serve as a unified portal to connect students, teachers, parents and principals, and deliver real-time learning. DPS will also use $14.2 million in federal stimulus and Title I dollars for netbooks for all 36,000 students and 4,000 teachers in grades 6-12 for access to technology to support hands-on learning. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is setting up a Detroit-based office with at least 13 employees for technical support, training and outreach. Detroit is the company's largest client.

Schools

Kindergarten and 7-12 schools

• Boykin Continuing Education Center (optional)

7-12 schools

(Alternative)

• Douglass Academy
• Ferguson Academy for Young Women

High schools

Further information: List of high schools in Michigan

Zoned high schools

• Central High School
• Frank Cody High School
  • Cody 9th Grade Academy
• Denby Technical & Preparatory High School
• Ford High School
• Kettering High School
• Mumford High School
• Northwestern High School
• Pershing High School
• Southeastern High School
• Southwestern High School
• Western International High School

Optional high schools

• Barsamian Preparatory Center (Alternative)
• Cass Technical High School
• Communication & Media Arts High School
• Crockett High School
• Crosman Alternative High School
• Davis Aerospace High School
• Detroit City High School
• Detroit High School for Technology (Pershing Tech)
• Detroit School of Arts
• Detroit International Academy for Young Women
• Millennium School
• Renaissance High School
• Trombly Alternative High School
• West Side Academy Alternative Education
• Osbourn High School

PreK-8 schools

Zoned PreK-8 schools

• Bethune Academy
• Blackwell Institute
• Boynton Elementary/Middle School
• Burns Elementary School
• Burton International School
• Butzel Elementary/Middle School
• D. Bethune Duffield Elementary School (Detroit): Constructed in 1922, this is a pre-kindergarten through 8th grade facility educating around 410 students. The classically styled, three-story elementary school draws students from the neighborhood bordered by southern St. Aubin Street; then eastward to include Chene, Joseph Campau and McDougall Street.^[38]
• Durfee Elementary School
• Fisher Magnet
• Fitzgerald Elementary School
• Golightly Education Center
• Greenfield Union Elementary School
• A. L. Holmes Elementary School
• Jemison School of Choice
• Barbara Jordan Elementary School
• Law Elementary School
• Marquette Elementary School
• Noble Elementary School
• Robeson Academy
• Sherrill Elementary School
• Stewart Elementary School (was MacCulloch Elementary)
• Mark Twain Elementary School
• Westside Multicultural Academy

Alternative PreK-8 schools

• Academy of The Americas

K-8 schools

Zoned K-8 schools

• Ann Arbor Trail Magnet Middle School
• Carver Elementary School
• Coffey Elementary/Middle School
• Courtis Elementary School
• Dixon Elementary School
• Drew Middle School
• Lessenger Elementary-Middle School
• Malcolm X Academy
• Frank Murphy Elementary/Middle School
• Nichols Elementary School
• Nolan Elementary School
• Owen Academy
• Phoenix Elementary School
• Pulaski Elementary School
• Richard Elementary School
• Sampson Academy
• Spain Elementary School
• Trix Elementary School
• Vetal Elementary School

Alternative K-8 schools

• Bates Academy
• Edward (Duke) Ellington Conservatory of Music/Art
• Foreign Language Immersion
• Hancock Preparatory Center
• Langston Hughes Academy
• Hutchins Elementary School

5-8 schools

(Zoned)

• Farwell Middle School
• Erma Henderson Upper School

(Alternative)

• Clippert Academy
• Ludington Magnet Middle School

6-8 schools

(Zoned)

• Barbour Magnet Middle School
• Cerveny Middle School
• Columbus Middle School
• Earhart Middle School
• McNair Middle School
• Robinson Middle School
• Brenda Scott Middle School

(Alternative)

• Hally Magnet Middle School
• Heilmann Park Middle School

PK-6 schools

(Zoned)

• #1 John R King
• Ronald Brown Academy
• Burt Elementary School
• Dossin Elementary School
• Guyton Elementary School
• Jamieson Elementary School

• MacDowell Elementary School
• Thurgood Marshall Elementary School
• McKenny Elementary School
• Pasteur Elementary School
• Schulze Elementary School
• Stephens Elementary School

K-6 schools

(Zoned)

• Birney Elementary School
• Cooke Elementary School
• McColl Elementary School
• Munger Elementary School
• Vernor Elementary School

PreK-5 schools

(Zoned)

• Emerson Elementary School
• Gompers Elementary School
• Harding Elementary School
• Harms Elementary School

See also

	Metro Detroit portal
	Schools portal

• Government of Detroit

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "District Data". http://detroitk12.org/data/. Retrieved 2011-10-20. 
2. ^ RILEY, ROCHELLE. "Woes, expectations mount for DPS chief". Detroit Free Press. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080607/COL10/806070366/1003/NEWS01. Retrieved 2008-05-16. 
3. ^ "Detroit Federation of Teachers Homepage". http://www.dft231.com/. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Chastity Pratt Dawsey (2011-10-20). "Detroit Public Schools hits enrollment goal, but is still bleeding students". Detroit Free Press. http://www.freep.com/article/20111020/NEWS01/110200494/1001/rss01. Retrieved 2011-10-20. 
5. ^ Santiago Esparza (2011-10-20). "Detroit Public Schools exceeds target student enrollment". Detroit News. http://detnews.com/article/20111020/SCHOOLS/110200418/1026/rss06. Retrieved 2011-10-20. 
6. ^ "School Location Map." Detroit Public Schools. Retrieved on November 7, 2009.
7. ^ ^{a b c d e} http://colorlines.com/archives/2010/03/45_dps_schools_to_close_where_have_all_of_detroits_students_gone.html
8. ^ "Contact Us." Detroit Public Schools. May 10, 2000. Retrieved on November 7, 2009.
9. ^ Oosting, Jonathan (2009-09-24). "Audit: Detroit Public Schools overpaid millions for real estate after middle-man markups". MLive.com.. http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2009/09/audit_detroit_public_schools_o.html. Retrieved 2009-11-07. 
10. ^ Duggan, Daniel (November 4, 2009). "Freman Hendrix asked about Detroit Public Schools' $13 million lease in 2001". Crain's Detroit Business. http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20091104/FREE/911049989. Retrieved November 7, 2009. 
11. ^ Duggan, Daniel (October 28, 2009). "Construction profits for Detroit Public Schools' projects excessive, Bobb says". Crain's Detroit Business. http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20091028/FREE/910289978. Retrieved November 7, 2009. 
12. ^ Shultz, Marissa and Greg Wilkerson (June 13, 2007).Graduation rate.Detroit News.Retrieved on August 8, 2010.
13. ^ Mrozowski, Jennifer (June 5, 2008)Detroit graduation rate is the worst.Detroit News. Retrieved on August 8, 2010.
14. ^ http://detroitk12.org/news/article/1605/
15. ^ "Report: Detroit Ranks Lowest In Graduation Rates". ClickOnDetroit.com; wdiv.com; Associated Press. http://www.clickondetroit.com/education/15759336/detail.html. Retrieved 02:23, Thursday March 10, 2011 (UTC). ""In Detroit's public schools, 24.9 percent of the students graduated from high school,..."" 
16. ^ http://www.detroit.k12.mi.us/schools/ayp/2AYP%20Not%20Met%20-%2004-05.pdf
17. ^ "The Michigan Citizen". http://michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=75&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1070&hn=michigancitizen&he=.com. 
18. ^ DPS News Online
19. ^ http://www.uprep.com/Stats.asp
20. ^ Bukowski, Diane. "Eliminate debt to state, not teachers: DPS announces $45 million deficit". Michigan Citizen. http://michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sdetail=6066. Retrieved 2008-05-31. 
21. ^ "FBI Investigates DPS over funds". The Detroit News (The Detroit News). http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080729/SCHOOLS/807290393/1409/METRO. Retrieved 2009-03-14. 
22. ^ "Detroit School Board sticks to decision to fire superintendent". The Detroit News (The Detroit News). http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009903120479. Retrieved 2009-03-14. 
23. ^ ^{a b} Detroit Free Press, Jan 27, 2009, Chastity Pratt Dawsey, "Granholm Names Appointee", p. A3
24. ^ "Members of the Detroit Board of Education". Detroit Public Schools. http://www.detroitk12.org/board/members/. Retrieved 2010-03-10. 
25. ^ "New Detroit Public School chief:"Budget will be balanced."". WWJ Newsradio 950 (WWJ Radio). 2009-03-03. http://www.wwj.com/pages/3953941.php. Retrieved 2009-03-14. 
26. ^ Gray, Steven. "Can Robert Bobb Fix Detroit's Public Schools?" TIME. Monday January 25, 2010. 1. Retrieved on March 28, 2010.
27. ^ Michigan Department of Education. 2008-2009 Bulletin 1014, Michigan Public School districts Ranked by Selected Financial Data. Published May 2010.
28. ^ http://www.michigan.gov/cepi/0,1607,7-113-21423_30451_51357---,00.html. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
29. ^ Diane Bukowski. "BLACKBOARD FLU". The Michigan Citizen. http://michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sdetail=2824. Retrieved 2010-01-18. 
30. ^ Diane Bukowski. "Takeover ills lead to DPS strike". The Michigan Citizen. http://michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sdetail=3511. Retrieved 2010-01-18. 
31. ^ Diane Bukowski. "TEACHERS STRIKE!". The Michigan Citizen. http://michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sdetail=3489. Retrieved 2010-01-18. 
32. ^ Diane Bukowski. "DPS cuts 907 lunch aides; 713 teachers". The Michigan Citizen. http://michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sdetail=3781. Retrieved 2010-01-18. 
33. ^ Detroit Public Schools Division of Finance Office of Budget (2004-06-26). "Detroit Public Schools Proposed 2005 Budget Review". http://www.detroit.k12.mi.us/data/finance/fundreports/Proposed_Budget_Review_2005-063004.pdf. Retrieved 2010-01-18. 
34. ^ "Policy 11.1 Student Dress Code." Detroit Public Schools. Accessed October 22, 2008.
35. ^ "Student Dress Code Policy". Detroit Public Schools. http://www.detroitk12.org/resources/students/dresscode/. Retrieved October 22, 2008. 
36. ^ Christine MacDonald; Mark Hicks (April 11, 2006). "No more nose rings in school?". The Detroit News. http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060411/SCHOOLS/604110390/1026. Retrieved 2010-01-18. 
37. ^ Marisa Schultz (2010-02-04). "DPS to make textbooks all-digital in 5 years". The Detroit News. http://detnews.com/article/20100204/METRO/2040464&template=printart. Retrieved 2010-02-05. 
38. ^ http://www.detroitk12.org/schools/

External links

• Detroit Public Schools