DETROIT — Detroit Public Schools Emergency Manager Roy Roberts has announced plans to close 16 buildings after this school year and offer four more to charter operators, according to The Detroit News. Roberts hopes closing under-utilized buildings will allow the district to direct resources and provide higher-quality facilities overall.
Roberts told The News the move would not require any teacher layoffs. He also claimed it would save the district $7.56 million, even before selling schools to organizers of charter public schools.
According to The News, DPS currently has enough capacity to serve more than 110,000 students, though enrollment this year is below 70,000. The district has lost more than 100,000 students in the last decade and pays $1 million annually to maintain 125 closed buildings.
SOURCE:
The Detroit news, “DPS to close 16 schools, offer 4 others for charters," Feb. 9, 2012
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, “Detroit Public Schools shows first surplus in four years,” Dec. 6, 2011
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